Sen. Jon Ford becomes fourth state lawmaker this year to leave legislature early

Sen. Jon Ford (R-Terre Haute) announced Friday he is leaving the state Senate next month, less than a year into a new four-year term.

Ford is the fourth lawmaker to announce their resignation since the 2023 legislative session ended in April, joining Ann Vermilion, Randy Frye and Chip Perfect.

Ford said he is leaving the General Assembly to pursue “new professional endeavors.” In a statement, he said serving in the legislature has been one of the greatest honors of his life.

The Terre Haute legislator has been in the Senate since 2014 and was elected to a new term last November. A private Republican caucus will choose his replacement in the coming weeks.

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Ford has been influential in his time at the Statehouse on elections, as chair of the Senate Elections Committee and gaming issues – including a measure that legalized sports wagering and brought a new casino to Terre Haute.

The western Indiana Republican also worked for years to increase Indiana's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families support, which he finally accomplished this year.

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

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