It wasn’t an election year for the Indiana General Assembly, but three resignations and the unexpected death of an Indianapolis state senator in 2023 means there will be four new Republican lawmakers at the Statehouse next year.
In Indiana, when a House or Senate seat becomes vacant, a caucus of precinct committee members from the party that holds the seat votes on a replacement.
Here’s a look at the four newest members of the General Assembly.
Cyndi Carrasco
Cyndi Carrasco was selected in October by a caucus of Republican precinct committee members to fill the remainder of the late Jack Sandlin’s term in the Indiana Senate.
Carrasco, who lost to Democrat Ryan Mears in the 2022 election for Marion County prosecutor, will represent Senate District 36, which includes parts of southern Marion County and northern Johnson County.
The former Indiana inspector general is no stranger to the statehouse, having worked in the Indiana Office of the Inspector General for more than 12 years. In 2015, she was named the state’s first female inspector general and was later named deputy general counsel under Gov. Eric Holcomb.
Born and raised to Mexican immigrant parents in El Paso, Texas, Carrasco moved to Indiana to attend the Indiana University McKinney School of Law. She currently serves as vice president and general counsel at the University of Indianapolis, where she also oversees the university police department.
She lives in Indianapolis with her husband, Robert, and their daughter, Sarah. They attend Saints Francis & Clare of Assisi Roman Catholic Church in Greenwood.
Greg Goode
When Jon Ford announced he was leaving the Indiana Senate, despite three years left in his term, to take a job in the private sector, the Terre Haute native endorsed Greg Goode as his successor.
Goode, who was most recently state director for Republican U.S. Sen. Todd Young, went on to defeat John Waterman, a former state senator, in a 56-18 vote. Goode also previously worked for more than a decade as the chief lobbyist for Indiana State University.
He will represent the District 38 seat, which includes Clay and Vigo counties and parts of Sullivan County.
Randy Maxwell
Randy Maxwell, of Guilford, was sworn in as the representative of Senate District 43 in September.
Maxwell succeeds State Sen. Chip Perfect (R-Lawrenceburg), who resigned from his position for personal reasons. Maxwell will finish the remainder of Perfect’s term through November of 2026, serving Dearborn, Jefferson, Ohio, Scott and Switzerland counties and southern Jennings County.
A lifelong Hoosier, Maxwell grew up in Logan and graduated from Indiana University where he played football from 1995 to 1999 and received degrees in finance-real estate and entrepreneurship from the IU Kelley School of Business.
Maxwell is the CEO of Maxwell Construction, his family-owned Southeast Indiana general contractor and development company.
Maxwell and his wife, Robin, are high school sweethearts and have three children–former Purdue University football player Alex, Xavier University student Kyla and East Central High School senior Dylan.
J. Alex Zimmerman
A North Vernon attorney, J. Alex Zimmerman was elected in July by a caucus vote to represent House District 67, which includes portions of Decatur, Jefferson, Jennings and Ripley counties.
Zimmerman stepped up after Randy Frye left the Indiana House in July, citing health issues and wanting to spend more time with family.
Zimmerman resides in North Vernon with his wife and young children. He said his priorities at the Statehouse will include rural development, as well as bringing jobs and young people back to the district, the Indiana Capital Chronicle reported.
