Voters in Indiana House District 13 will choose between two candidates this November to represent them in the Indiana House of Representatives. The district includes all of Benton County and portions of Warren, Fountain, Tippecanoe, Montgomery, Newton, Jasper and White counties.
There are 100 members of the Indiana House of Representatives. Their job is to work alongside the governor and the Indiana State Senate to create laws and set the state budget. Their seats go up for election every two years, and in Indiana there is no limit on the number of terms a representative can serve.
WFYI opened an ongoing voter survey in May, and the most common voting issues were data center policy, affordability, and feeling disempowered.
WFYI contacted each campaign and sent a survey based on voter questions — it asked candidates for their top priorities and their positions on civic health, data centers and affordability. For candidates who did not respond, information was gathered from websites and social media for a "Top priorities" note. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order.
Matt Commons
Personal information provided by candidate.
Incumbent
Party: Republican
Website: commonsforstatehouse.com
Age: 35
Occupation: Indiana State Representative, District 13; Teacher, Crawfordsville High School
Residence: Williamsport
Top donors (via Transparency USA):
- Carbondale Tavern LLC
- Bt Reynolds
- Quentin Overbeck
- For Systems
- Accuburn
Commons accepted WFYI's invitation to take a survey. WFYI fact checked statements about publicly available data.
If elected, what are your top policy priorities?
As District 13's representative, my focus is on addressing the concerns that matter the most to Hoosiers - lowering the price of everyday goods, cutting property taxes, improving healthcare accessibility, and increasing spending transparency.
House District 13 is the most rural district in Indiana, and rural Hoosiers are struggling with rising costs. From lowering the cost of everyday goods to cutting taxes, my priority is finding solutions to make Indiana more affordable.
While meeting with Hoosiers across the district, healthcare accessibility was often mentioned as a concern. In a district-wide survey, 61% of constituents identified healthcare as their biggest concern and education. I plan on introducing legislation to address the rural healthcare accessibility crisis.
Property taxes must also be addressed. I'm working to continue providing property tax relief while ensuring local communities have the necessary resources to fund essential services like police, fire, EMS, and education. Our property tax system is convoluted and hard for Hoosiers in every tax category to understand. We need to make sure that it is easy to understand, and accountable at the local level.
Many voters told us they don't think today's politicians listen to their constituents. Why do you think that is, and how would you address the concern?
Since my first campaign, I've made it a priority to be accessible and to listen to anyone who reaches out. I spend a great deal of time traveling House District 13, attending local meetings, community events, and talking with residents.
I think this sentiment exists across the country for several reasons, including social media, declining trust in institutions, and the increasingly nationalized nature of politics. We also need to remember that listening doesn't always mean agreeing. My responsibility is to hear every perspective, carefully consider it, and then explain the decisions I make on behalf of my district.
What is your position on data center development in Indiana?
I have consistently supported local control on land use decisions, and data centers should be no exception. Local communities are in the best position to determine whether these projects fit their long-term plans.
I also believe taxpayers should not be subsidizing data centers through special tax incentives. That's why I support eliminating these tax incentives and prohibiting nondisclosure agreements that prevent taxpayers from knowing how economic development decisions are being made.
Many voters told us they struggle to afford food, housing and healthcare. If elected, how would you help them address those needs?
Affordability is one of the biggest challenges facing Hoosier families. We need to make it easier for local producers and small businesses to sell food directly to consumers by reducing unnecessary regulatory barriers.
We have made progress on housing affordability, but there is more work to do. State and local governments need to work together to increase the housing supply while preserving local decision-making.
I'm also developing legislation to improve healthcare access and affordability. Indiana has highly trained healthcare professionals who are unnecessarily restricted from providing basic services, limiting access and increasing costs. In House District 13, access to food, housing, and healthcare all remain significant challenges, so improving affordability must go hand in hand with improving access.
Brenna Geswein
Personal information provided by candidate.
Party: Democrat
Website: electbrenna.com
Age: 45
Occupation: Senior Strategy Engineer at Caterpillar
Residence: West Lafayette
Top donors (via Transparency USA):
- Brenna Geswein (self)
- Kathryn Whetstone
- Pauline Shen
- Julia Aschenberg
- Kenneth Stacy
Geswein accepted WFYI's invitation to take a survey. WFYI fact checked statements about publicly available data.
If elected, what are your top policy priorities?
Public education funding and rollback/elimination of school vouchers. A state-wide data center moratorium for a minimum of a year until legislation and regulations can be updated.
Many voters told us they don't think today's politicians listen to their constituents. Why do you think that is, and how would you address the concern?
Most politicians are not out serving in their districts and mingling with their constituents. I am taking the opposite approach of volunteering with many different non-profits and organizations across my district to get to know the people they serve and how state legislation affects these groups. I have also been a part of several meet the candidate events where all people are invited to come and talk with the candidates. That would not stop once elected. I would hold townhalls, coffee chats and other forms of community engagement to be available to all.
What is your position on data center development in Indiana?
Data center development needs a pause - we should not be giving away billions of dollars in 50-year tax breaks to the richest companies in the world. Legislation and regulations need to catch up to the hyper-scale data centers being built in our state. There also needs to be a comprehensive plan to show the electrical grid can support the increased demand, without increasing residential rates, and our water resources are protected.
Many voters told us they struggle to afford food, housing and healthcare. If elected, how would you help them address those needs?
I would help address those needs by advocating for properly funding SNAP, Sun Bucks summer food program and supporting food co-op models across the state. Housing costs could be helped by offering tax credits to first time homebuyers for down payment support, protecting renters from large rent increases and increased renter protections from slumlords, and addressing building and zoning codes that drive up the cost of new construction without having a tangible benefit for the homeowner or neighborhood. Public health departments within the state need consistent and adequate funding to support community outreach, including integrated mobile health efforts. Indiana can legislate for caps on prescription drug prices and ensure that hospitals are compliant with efforts to lower prices to those with insurance.
