Published: October 17, 2008 10:26 am      

ELECTION Q&A 2008: Indiana House District 66

Editor’s Note: Submissions appear as the candidates submitted them without editing. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order. Except where noted, questionnaires are only being published for contested races.



Dr. Jack R. Gillespie

Republican



Office you are runing for: State representative, Indiana House District 66

Age: 70

Education: Brownstown High School, Hanover Collage, AB; Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine, DVM

Career highlights: Teacher: Crothersville and Tampico Indiana schools; industry veterinarian: poultry patholigist for Grahm Farms Inc., Washington, Ind., and animal field researce scientist and international area research administrator for Eli Lilly Research Laboratories in Greenfield; practicing veterinarian and veterinary consultant for Gillespie Veterinary Clinic, Brownstown; retired veterinarian and candidate for state representative

Family notes: Wife betty is retired medical technoligist; two daughters and a son and six grandchildren; chairman of finance committee Brownstown United Methodist Church. Mission trips have included a Christian veterinary mission trip to Nicaragua and a Heifer International study tour to Honduras.



Why are you running for this office?

I am running for Indiana State Representative District 66 to see if a true grassroots campaign can defeat a state political party and lobbyist supported 8 year incumbent in a gerrymandered state house district. Although I filed as a Republican candidate, my campaign is being funded by individual voters of House District 66 and myself.



What is the most important issue facing this office, and how do you plan to resolve or improve it?

The most important issue is who represents the people of a gerrymandered district? The current 8 year incumbent Representative’s campaign is funded by a political party who has held the office for more than 40 years. The State Republican Party has cooperated with the gerrymandering by not supporting a candidate for this district. I plan to resolve this issue by appealing to the local people to help support my campaign, and if elected I will work to eliminate gerrymandering and help reform election districts and campaign financing rules. I will truly represent the local people, businesses and communities who support my campaign.



What unique contribution will you bring to this office?

My campaign will be funded by individual voters of Indiana House District 66 not a political party or lobbyists. I can therefore truly represent the local people, businesses and communities in state government.



What qualifications do you believe set you apart from your opponent.

I am old enough to be his father, and wise enough to know he does not have the time to adequately represent the interests of our local communities in state government and also be responsible as a Superintendent of a failing school district. As a retired veterinarian I have adequate time and life experiences to represent the interests of local communities, businesses, environments, animals, and people in Indiana government. I also have experience as chairman of my local township board and understand the potential loss of local elected officials who are closest to and can best serve the people.



5) Who do you plan on voting for in the November presidential election and why?

I plan to vote for McCain. He has the years of experience, like mine, which help to understand that our constitutional governing is for the protection of individual people and state rights, not a political agenda or social and financial equality.



Terry Goodin

Democrat



Office you are running for: State Representative Dist. #66

Age: 41

Education: B.A. and M.A. from Eastern Kentucky University and Doctorate, Indiana University. Austin High School graduate.

Career Highlights: No response

Family notes: Married to Whitney Wolf Goodin, no children



Why are you running for this office?

I want to continue to work to make Indiana a better place to live, work and raise a family.



What is the most important issue facing this office and how to you plan to resolve or improve it?

The most important issue will be to continue lowering the tax burden on Hoosiers and craft a state budget that will allow Hoosier families to improve their lives



What unique contribution will you bring to this office?

I am accessible and hard working and I will continue fighting for the citizens of District 66; to make sure government serves their needs and serves them well.



What qualifications to you believe set you apart from your opponent?

Being the vice chairman of the ways and means committee enables me to make sure Southern Indiana gets its fair share of the pie during the budget process. This includes properly funding our schools.