Three Republicans vie for party nomination for District 69 state representative

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Three candidates, including two from Seymour, are seeking the Republican nomination for District 69 state representative in the May 8 primary election.

Incumbent Jim Lucas from Seymour is facing a challenge from Nancy Franke of Seymour and newcomer Charles Johnson of Columbus.

Whoever comes out ahead will face Democrat Steve Schoettmer of Elizabethtown and Libertarian Steven Buffington of Seymour in the Nov. 6 general election.

District 69 includes part of Brownstown Township and all of Hamilton, Jackson, Redding, Vernon and Washington townships in Jackson County and portions of Bartholomew, Jennings and Jefferson counties.

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This is the second time Lucas and Franke have run against each other. Lucas, a small business owner, defeated Franke in the 2016 primary, earning 60.5 percent of the vote in Jackson County, and currently is serving his sixth year in office.

He has made headlines across the country with his backing of constitutional carry legislation, which would eliminate all permit requirements for Hoosiers to carry a gun. He also has advocated for legalization of medicinal marijuana, CBD oils and production of industrial hemp.

Franke is a Lutheran schoolteacher in Columbus and is serving her second term on the Seymour Community School Corp. board of trustees. She said education will continue to be her passion if elected.

“For too long, education has not been fairly represented at the state level,” she said. “It is time to put someone in the Statehouse who has served on the front lines of education, someone who understands the dynamics of the schools and classrooms as well as how each student individually achieves.”

Franke said the state has done poorly in promoting interest in trades and technology and needs to do more to make these options not only available but recommended career paths to students.

“I have worked for and will continue to stand for promoting those interests as well as maintaining Indiana’s rightful place as a leader in both agriculture and skilled manufacturing,” she said.

When it comes to education, Lucas said he supports an effective, productive and accountable system.

“Education will always be an issue and is something I find very interesting, as it receives over half of our state budget,” he said.

In the past, he has supported state-funded vouchers to allow parents to send their children to private schools.

Both Lucas and Franke feel strongly about the state’s opioid epidemic and want to address it.

Franke, a member of the Jackson County Drug-Free Council board of directors, has seen the effects of addiction firsthand in her own family, she said.

“I will stand for researching and considering all the available options, to analyzing what other states have tried with both success and failure, to approaching prevention and recovery as individual issues and to forging necessary paths to a life free from the chains of addiction,” she said.

Lucas is in favor of legalizing medical marijuana in Indiana as a way to curb opioid addiction and deaths.

“There are about 100 Hoosiers that lose their lives each month to opioids, and this is something that can literally save thousands of Hoosier lives,” he said. “But we must also continue to look at treatment options and how best to apply our limited resources.”

With medical marijuana, Franke said there are a lot of issues that need to be looked at and taken into consideration before legalizing it.

“I am supportive of our legislative body to look into a summer study to educate all of our lawmakers on further issues regarding medical marijuana, and I would be supportive of a sensible approach to the issue in the next session,” she said.

Both Franke and Lucas are strong advocates of the Constitution, especially when it comes to Second Amendment rights. They both are members of the National Rifle Association and are committed to preserving Hoosiers’ rights when it comes to owning guns.

Lucas said mass shootings are evidence that existing gun laws do not stop such actions and people need the right to protect themselves and their families.

“Our right to self-defense is a natural and unalienable right, and I will continue to lead in protecting and advancing our gun rights while fighting to hold those people accountable for their actions that present themselves as a threat,” he said.

Franke said she stands for freedom and for Hoosiers to be able to make the right choices for their families.

“As one who has grown up with guns my entire life, no one is more committed to preserving our rights as responsible citizens to bear arms,” she said.

Although she believes Indiana and especially District 69 are great places to live, work and raise a family, Franke said its potential is even greater.

“Not only do we need an efficient government that assists Hoosiers when they need it and lets them live their lives when they don’t, we need an effective leader who can make a positive difference for constituents,” she said. “Looking at the past six years, I feel we have missed the boat with our concerns being not only voiced at the state level, but we missed out on any legislation making it through.”

Franke said she offers a different approach in leadership and wants to work together with other lawmakers and the public to create bills that will make life better for Hoosiers.

“Working in the legislature is not a one-man show,” she said. “It takes cooperation and collaboration to effectively accomplish what needs to transpire and take effect.”

One way Lucas said he tries to address the responsibilities of his office is to make himself available to listen to his constituents any way they want to reach out to him.

“I am very active on social media, and my cell phone number is on my cards,” he said. “Openly and transparently addressing and representing the people on the issues of our district is being a good servant of the people, and I will continue to do so.”

Johnson declined the opportunity to answer questions for this article.

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Republican candidates for District 69 state representative

Nancy Franke

Home: Has lived in Jackson County for more than 20 years

Membership: National Rifle Association

Education: Graduate of Concordia University Chicago, earning a degree in elementary education with an emphasis in theology and receiving a director of Christian education certificate

Background and experience: More than 25 years of ministry as both a director of youth ministry and as an educator. Serving her second four-year term with the Seymour Community School Corp. board of trustees. Legislative liaison with the Indiana School Boards Association.

Family: Husband, Tom “Digger”; five children; and has served as host parents to several exchange students

Jim Lucas (incumbent)

Home: Born and raised in Seymour

Memberships: Immanuel Lutheran Church, where he serves as an elder. Member of American Legion, Fraternal Order of Police Donald M. Winn Lodge 108, Greater Seymour Chamber of Commerce, National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America and the Second Amendment Foundation.

Education: Graduated from Immanuel Lutheran School and Seymour High School and then went on to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Background/experience: Small business owner for 18 years. Served two terms on the Seymour City Council.

Family: Wife of 23 years, Lynn; children, Suzanne, Jack and Madeline; two grandchildren, Clark and Freddy

Charles Johnson

Declined to provide information for this article.

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