Democrat Chad Harmon of Seymour responds to a question during an Indiana House District 69 debate with Republican Jim Lucas of Seymour on Thursday evening at Seymour High School. Harmon is challenging Lucas, the incumbent, in the Nov. 8 general election.
Aubrey Woods | The Tribune
SEYMOUR — The candidates for Indiana House District 69 squared off in a classic debate that included plenty of questions and more than an occasional barb.
The candidates — Democrat Chad Harmon of Seymour and incumbent Republican Jim Lucas of Seymour — answered questions that ran the gamut from transgender males playing girls’ sports to school choice to substance abuse and a lot more.
Each candidate had received the questions prior to the debate by the organization that sponsored the event, the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce. Chamber President Dan Robison and Arann Banks, executive director of the Jackson County Visitor Center, moderated the debate.
The Indiana House District 69 representative does represent a portion of Bartholomew County.
Harmon, who has spent 25 years as a defense contractor and presently works at Crane Naval Base, said he entered the race because a couple of years ago, he saw things were pretty bad.
“I saw people who were dying — suicides and overdose,” he said. “I didn’t see anybody doing anything about it.”
He said the big issues that matter to him are mental health, addiction, rural recovery, education and reproductive rights.
Harmon said he also saw that the district’s current representative had no desire in passing legislation to actually help the people of the district.
In his opening statement, Lucas, who is a small business owner, said he loved to serve people and wanted to continue to do so.
“I have a proven track record of serving the people,” he said.
Lucas said he entered politics 15 years ago when he ran and won an at-large seat on the Seymour City Council because he was tired of seeing government not doing anything.
“The thing I saw was having the courage to speak up and explain to people what you wanted to do and how you were going to do things and what your vision is. So to this day, I explain myself,” he said. “I know that steps on some people’s toes. They don’t like to be told the truth. They don’t like somebody that stands up for themselves. So yes, I am going to get attacked, and I expect that tonight.”
On the issue of school choice, Harmon said he was not in favor of diverting public money to private schools.
“I don’t believe that public money should be used for charter schools,” he said.
Harmon said charter schools should stand on their own.
“Going forward, I will push for no vouchers in terms of charter schools,” he said.
Lucas said he is 100% in favor of taxpaying parents having a say in their child’s taxpayer-funded education.
“We keep talking about public education,” he said. “It shouldn’t be this or that. It should be educating the child.”
In a related question about who should be responsible for teacher pay, Lucas said he supports leaving it up to the individual school corporations.
“Absolutely. That is as local control by a school board as you can get,” he said.
Lucas said the only way the legislature could affect teacher pay is if every teacher in the state became a state employee.
“I don’t think anybody in this room would think that’s a great idea — taking teacher pay out of the hands of locals that are currently doing it and giving it up to Indianapolis,” he said.
Harmon said the state has a serious shortage of teachers, especially in rural areas, and it is an issue that needs to be addressed.
“So we need to work on things that will entice teachers,” he said. He said if teachers are underpaid, that also should be addressed.
“But I think local school boards should have that ability to work with their local teachers,” Harmon said.
That’s because the locals know their situations, he said.
He also said he supports transgender boys being allowed to participate in girls’ sports.
“All they want to do is play sports,” he said. “We’re not talking about the Olympics.”
Lucas said he was opposed to transgender boys playing girls’ sports because it means they share locker rooms and showers with biological girls.
“Transgender girls are biological male,” he said. “We have girls’ sports, and we have boys’ sports.”
Lucas said the issue is crossing a line. “It’s dangerous. We need to address it,” he said. “We need to address it respectfully, but we also have to do it rationally and reasonably and respect the rights of these girls who are playing sports so they can get scholarships and move on and go to college.”
“A biological female cannot compete with a biological male. What we are doing is taking away their hope and their future just for some social issue. That’s what’s going on, and it needs to stop.”
Harmon said transgender people are not going through all of the struggle to change their gender just to play sports.
“It’s their life,” he said. “It’s not just some big conspiracy for dudes to get scholarships. It’s way blown out of proportion, and they should be able to play what they want.”
In an answer to a question about parents having the right to play a role in what their children are being taught, Lucas said he absolutely supports it.
He said that’s one reason school board meetings are open to the public.
“That’s one reason I pushed so much for school choice to give parents more of a say in their child’s education,” Lucas said.
Harmon said he believes parents should have a voice but also didn’t believe the parents should have the right to override what the students need to learn.
“There are certain things not being taught,” he said.
Harmon said teachers went to school to teach, and parents are sometimes telling them what they need to teach in terms of curriculum.
“It’s just not right, and we need to work on it,” he said.
When asked what one piece of legislation they would push in the next legislative session if elected, Harmon said he would push for funding for rural areas for drug addiction, detox facilities and sober living.
“The state could be more involved with helping people with addiction,” he said. “It’s not a choice.”
He said people who are addicted are sick and need to be helped.
“The state could definitely do more for them,” Harmon said.
Lucas said there are a lot of important issues out there.
“If I could pass one right now, it would probably be school choice,” he said. “Put the parents in charge of their child’s education.”
When asked about separating their personal views with the people of District 69, Lucas said it goes back to following the Constitution.
“The Constitution limits the rights of government and protects the people,” he said. “We all share the same rights.”
Lucas mentioned the issue of same-sex marriage. He said while he is opposed to it because of his religious beliefs that marriage is between a man and a woman, he also believes in the rights of two consenting males or females to do what ever they want to do.
Lucas said he doesn’t have a right to tell them not to do it.
“Do your thing, but also don’t come into my church and tell my church they have to marry you. There are other ways of marrying,” he said.
He said legislation allowing a simple contract between two people was a great compromise, one example of many he has done over his years as a legislator.
“I like to keep it simple, and that’s as simple as it gets right there,” Lucas said.
Harmon also said separating his personal views from the people of the district was a simple thing for him.
“I don’t own a gun, but I know people who own guns,” he said. “I see their point, but I also know my district loves their guns.”
In closing, Lucas said he is not running because he doesn’t like somebody but because he loves serving the people of the district.
“You’ve seen quite a contrast between the two candidates running for District 69,” he said. “I have proven myself. I will continue to prove myself. I will stand up and fight for you. I will honor my oath to the Constitution.”
Harmon said there are not many similarities between the candidates on the issues.
“I think the choice is really clear,” he said. “You’ve had 10 years to try and prove yourself and get something done, and you haven’t done anything.”
Harmon said he thinks the district just needs a change.
“We’re looking for a respectful person to go represent District 69,” he said. “I think we’re just tired of all the attention.”
He said he wants to help people.
“That’s the only reason I am doing this,” Harmon said. “Help as many people as I can.”
