BY EMMA HOPKINS-O’BRIEN
Following the retirement of U.S. Rep. Trey Hollingsworth (R-Jeffersonville), Indiana’s Ninth Congressional District seat was open this election cycle and won by State Sen. Erin Houchin (R-Milltown, Ind.), who will serve the district which occupies most of south-central Indiana.
Houchin defeated Democratic Party challenger Matthew Fyfe (Bloomington, Ind.) in the Nov. 8 General Election. Houchin earned 62.4 percent (136,448 votes) to 32.8 percent (69,746 votes) for Fyfe.
The Ninth District, which includes Bartholomew, Brown, Clark, Dearborn, Decatur, Floyd, Franklin, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Lawrence, Monroe, Ohio, Rigley, Scott, Switzerland and Washington counties is home to several types of farmers on thousands of acres of rural land. Stepping in to serve this area, Houchin said ag and rural communities have long been near and dear to her heart.
“I was born and raised in Scottsburg,” she said. “My entire life has been spent surrounded by rural communities. I have countless friends, family and neighbors in the agriculture industry, and I have been proud to support
ag-related legislation as a member of the State Senate.”
In 2001, Houchin graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and went on to earn her master’s degree in political management from the George Washington University in 2012. Earlier in her public service career, she was a caseworker for the Indiana Department of Child Services and was the Southeast Regional Director for then-U.S. Sen. Dan Coats. She served Indiana’s 47th District the state Senate from 2014 until her election to Congress.
“It was my honor to serve in the State Senate, representing District 47 in Southern Indiana, which encompassed portions of the Ninth District,” Houchin said. “There, I had the privilege of representing Hoosiers in Indianapolis, and advocating on their behalf. I gained valuable experience working with fellow legislators in both parties to pass meaningful legislation and improve the lives of Hoosiers.”
Farmers play a vital role
Houchin resides in Salem, Ind., with her husband, Dustin, and their two daughters and son. While she appreciates the experience and passion she gained in former public service roles, she feels she is now ready to serve at a different level in Congress. Houchin said she understands this will involve having the backs of Indiana farmers in her new district.
“I understand the vital importance farmers play, not just for our local communities, but for our entire state and country,” she said. “Farmers are some of the most hardworking people I know, and their efforts have such an impact. In today’s economy, I know so many are struggling, and farmers are being particularly hit hard by shortages, supply-chain issues and soaring prices on most everything.”
To that end, Houchin is excited to join a new Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives to “push back against far-left policies that are ruining our country, and get back to focusing on the issues that matter to everyday Americans.”
In the past, Houchin has worked to bring broadband internet to the poorly covered rural areas of Indiana that suffer the lack of opportunities that come with being a step behind the rest of the state in technological convenience.
“In the State Senate, I represented one of the most unserved areas of the state, and I made it my mission to bridge the digital divide and bring necessary broadband services to every corner of our district,” she said.
At that time, Houchin authored broadband grant legislation resulting in a $350 million investment in broadband expansion to unserved areas of Indiana.
Prior to being elected, Houchin participated in a Shop Talk event
hosted by the Indiana Corn Growers Association (ICGA) and the
Indiana Soybean Alliance’s Membership & Policy Committee
near Brownstown, Ind. Posing with Houchin is Matthew Lucas, at
left, a Jackson County farmer and an ICGA member and ICMC
Board member, and farm hosts Tom and Nevin Hallow.
“The Hoosier state went from 17 percent access to 1G speeds to more than 87 percent access to 1G speeds following the passage of the bill,” Houchin said. “I will continue working to ensure access to affordable and efficient broadband services as a member of Congress.”
2023 Farm Bill debate
Houchins is pleased that she has an opportunity to represent her district’s farmers at the 2023 Farm Bill debate continues.
“I am in favor of keeping crop insurance subsidized as a safety net for farmers to provide food security for our nation,” she said. “I am also in support of ethanol and soy diesel use as they are both renewable sources of fuel. I believe that it is better to produce our own fuel here in America rather than import it from foreign countries.”
Houchin said she also understands that farms operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week and need a workforce to reflect that ethic. The H2A worker visa program and Farm Workforce Modernization Act is one of the ways Indiana livestock and crop operations can suit that need.
“It’s important that we continue our H-2A worker visa program so that we can have a reliable workforce for our farmers in the ag community,” she said. “These workers come to the country legally, pay taxes and work hard. I am in support of legal migrant workers.”
Coming into the new year, Houchin said she is ready to serve at a different level in Congress and has the passion for public service to carry her in that endeavor.
“As I get to work for Hoosiers in the Ninth District and around the state, I look forward to meeting with farmers and other experts in the agriculture industry to hear their concerns, and learn how I can help solve some of the challenges they face.”
