A retired nurse and former employee at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is challenging the incumbent Republican for the District 65 seat in the Indiana House of Representatives.
Incumbent Chris May, of Bedford, who has held the office for one term, is challenged this election by Democrat Paula Staley, of Nashville.
The two candidates will face off Nov. 3 to represent the district, which includes parts of Nineveh and Hensley Townships in Johnson County, all of Brown County and parts of Jackson, Lawrence and Monroe counties.
May wants to continue serving the district with a focus on his shared values with constituents, and pass laws that are good for communities in the district, he said in a questionnaire response to the Brown County League of Women Voters.
Staley stepped up to run this year because current state leaders and the Republican supermajority at the statehouse have failed families in the district, she said.
If elected, May’s top priorities would be ending deficits, reducing the national debt and reforming the state’s tax code to better promote growth and investment in Indiana, he said in the survey.
“Governmental overreach costs Hoosiers good jobs while raising energy bills and operating costs for businesses. We must continue to support efforts to protect businesses from unnecessary costs and regulatory burdens," May said.
"We must prepare our students and workforce for the demands of 21st-century careers and encourage the spirit of innovation that has and will continue to make Indiana great. As our economy continues to grow, we must also focus on workforce development while getting underemployed Hoosiers better careers.”
If elected, Staley’s top priorities would be public school reforms, affordable health care for all Hoosiers and protecting the environment, she said.
On education, Staley would like to see changes to the school funding formula and vouchers that would ensure rural schools get their fair share of state funding, she said.
On health care, Staley would support expanding Medicare and the Healthy Indiana Plan to anyone within 400% of the federal poverty line, she said.
And on the environment, Staley would shoot for stronger regulations on businesses that could cause contamination of the air, land and waterways, she said.
The Brown County Democrat contributed to this story.
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Name: Chris May
Party: Republican
Residence: Bedford
Family: Wife, Amanda; two children
Occupation: Sales engineer at Whitney Tool; owner and operator at Hoosier Tech Properties
Education: Bedford North Lawrence High School; Vincennes University
Memberships: Served on several boards, including the solid waste management district, Dunn Memorial Hospital, Boys and Girls Club, Economic Growth Council, redevelopment commission and as chairman of a county insurance steering committee
Political experience: Incumbent serving since 2018; Lawrence County commissioner for three terms
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Name: Paula Staley
Party: Democrat
Residence: Nashville
Family: Husband, Forrest; 3 adult daughters
Occupation: Retired registered nurse and public health professional
Education: Bachelor’s degree, Indiana University; Master of Public Health, University of Louisville
Memberships: Indiana Nursing Association; American Nursing Association; Indiana Public Health Association; American Public Health Association
Political experience: None
[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”About the job” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Indiana House District 65
Represents: Parts of Nineveh and Hensley Townships in Johnson County, all of Brown County and parts of Jackson, Lawrence and Monroe counties.
Duties: State lawmakers author and vote on bills that come before the General Assembly, as well as approve the state’s bi-annual budget.
Term: 2 years
Pay: $26,490 (2019)
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