Sen. Erin Houchin (R-Salem) declared her candidacy last week for the Ninth District Congressional seat being vacated by current Rep. Trey Hollingsworth.
Houchin has been a reliable vote for the GOP’s super majority in the state senate since she assumed office in 2014. She wrote legislation incentivizing private companies to expand broadband access in unserved communities.
This year, Houchin has authored several bills and serves as a Senate co-sponsor to a House bill that would remove handgun license requirements.
Houchin was defeated by Hollingsworth in the 2016 Republican primary, after the seat was vacated by U.S. Senator Todd Young. Houchin says she’s better prepared now.
“I’ve learned a lot traveling across the district, across southern Indiana, meeting new people, hearing from them, learning about their struggles, and their stories, and their priorities," she said. "It's made me a better legislator.”
The state filing deadline for the race is Feb. 4.
