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November 3, 2010

INDIANA: Rhonda Rhoads takes District 70 seat from veteran Robertson

Democrat Terry Goodin retains seat

BY SHEA VAN HOY shea.vanhoy@newsandtribune.com

> SOUTHERN INDIANA — The Republican Election Day wave hit Statehouse races touching Southern Indiana, including the defeat of a 34-year legislator.

Republican Rhonda Rhoads, a Harrison County Councilwoman, beat Democrat incumbent Paul Robertson for the District 70 seat, The Associated Press reported.

Rhoads pointed to regulation as the culprit behind the sputtering economy in an election preview interview with The Evening News and The Tribune.

“You can’t keep regulating and taxing people,” she said.

She didn’t know which specific regulations she would like to see taken off the books.

When it comes to state revenue and the budget, she said she wants to look at reducing income taxes. She also said she wants to find a way for the state to reduce the number of retired people leaving Indiana. The insolvent unemployment fund will take cooperation from both sides of the aisle, she said.

“It’s not going to be a pretty thing to deal with,” she said.

Indiana House District 70 includes most of Harrison County; a small section of western Floyd County; and the western half of Clark County. Communities include Corydon, Lanesville, Greenville, Sellersburg and Elizabeth.



DISTRICT 66

In District 66, incumbent Terry Goodin, a Democrat, retained his seat by defeating Republican Jim Lucas, a Seymour business owner, according to The Associated Press.

Goodin, superintendent at Crothersville Community Schools, told The Evening News and The Tribune for an election preview, that the state needs to consider tax incentives not only for those creating jobs but also those retaining employees as well.

“We got to find a way to support the companies that aren’t laying people off,” he said.

Goodin said legislators cannot consider raising taxes as a possible answer to state budget questions, but rather said “we’re going to have to look at cuts across the board” if revenue shortfall projections hold true.

Indiana House District 66 includes most of southeast Jackson County; Marion Township in Jennings County; three townships in Scott County; and eastern Clark County. Communities in the district include Crothersville, Scottsburg, New Washington, Charlestown, Seymour and Brownstown.



DISTRICT 73

Steve Davisson, a Republican from Salem, defeated Ryan Bower, a Democrat from that same city, The Associated Press reported Tuesday night.

Indiana House District 73 covers all of Crawford County; most of Perry and Washington counties; eastern Dubois County; western Scott County; southern Jackson County; northwest Clark County; and a small section of northwest Harrison County.

Among the communities in the area are Salem, Henryville, Dubois, Medora, English, Marengo, New Pekin and Milltown.



DISTRICT 71

Rep. Steve Stemler, whose district covers Jeffersonville, Clarksville, Utica and portions of Sellersburg and Charlestown, ran uncontested and was re-elected.



STATEWIDE

Republicans were winning big in both Indiana legislative chambers as of press time, and appeared poised to take a two-thirds majority in the state Senate and picking off Democrats in the closely divided House.

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Election 2010