Trish Whitcomb speaks about her goals if she is elected to be state representative in District 69 during a rally Thursday evening at The Pacey Apothecary in Seymour.
With the coming of rain Thursday evening, Trish Whitcomb’s rally was moved a short walk down from the John Mellencamp mural plaza to The Pacey Apothecary in downtown Seymour.
It was there where the Democrat announced her entry into the race to become the state representative for Indiana House District 69 to a room packed full of supporters. The seat is presently held by Seymour Republican Jim Lucas, who has said he plans to run again.
Whitcomb has been involved in other campaigns around the state, including serving as the campaign manager in one of the last statewide campaigns won by a Democrat. The year was 2012, and Glenda Ritz became the Indiana superintendent of public instruction. The only other Democrat to hold a statewide office since that time was Joe Donnelly, who served the state in the U.S. Senate from 2013 to 2019.
Whitcomb is the daughter of former Indiana Gov. Edgar D. Whitcomb, who served as the state’s top leader from 1969 to 1973.
Whitcomb graduated from Seymour High School and earned a degree in education from Butler University. She is the former executive director of the Indiana Retired Teachers Association and former president of the Indiana Federation of Democratic Women.
Whitcomb told supporters during the rally that many of the issues in Indiana are the result of what she calls “Limestone Fever.”
“It is what happens to some legislators and officeholders when they enter the Statehouse, which is made of Indiana limestone,” Whitcomb said. “They forget the constituents who elected them. They believe their constituents are lobbyists, the other legislators and the big-monied interests that want special laws to make outrageous profits and pay little to no taxes. This is not public service. It is self-service, and it must change.”
Whitcomb plans to meet with area residents regularly starting after Labor Day to talk about the issues they face each day.
During her rally, Whitcomb made three pledges to voters.
“I will not be bought, I will listen to you and I have not, nor will I ever, forget where I came from,” Whitcomb said. “You can count on it.”
Whitcomb is currently uncontested in the 2024 Democratic primary election and is expected to face Lucas in the general election.
District 69 includes the central and eastern half of Jackson County and parts of Bartholomew, Jennings, Scott and Washington counties.