As the filing deadline to run for the Indiana House or Senate nears, expect more announcements from lawmakers not seeking re-election.
Over several months, the list of lawmakers leaving the General Assembly has swelled to eight and almost all are Republicans. But while it might seem like an exodus, it’s really just a natural evolution of Hoosiers retiring or moving on to new endeavors.
Thanks to the Capitol & Washington blog’s casualty list, you can see that the number of lawmakers opting not to run again has averaged 13 in the past 50-plus years. This covers lawmakers who finish their term and don’t seek re-election, but not those who leave early and are replaced.
Indiana’s high-water mark was 24 legislators who didn’t run for re-election in the 1970-1972 General Assembly. The low was five during the 1978-1980 cycle.
Here is today’s current list:
- Rep. Donna Schaibley, R-Carmel, will complete her current two-year term, but won’t seek reelection in 2024. She has served House District 24 — parts of Boone and Hamilton counties — since 2014.
- Rep. Jerry Torr, R-Carmel, also won’t seek re-election. He has served House District 39 since 1996, which covers parts of Carmel and Westfield.
- Rep. Bob Cherry, R-Greenfield, will complete his term and retire. He has served Indiana’s House of Representatives for 25 years — since 1998. His district, 53, includes parts of Hancock and Madison counties.
- Rep. Randy Lyness, R-West Harrison, will not seek re-election after serving eight years. He represents House District 68, which includes Ohio, Switzerland and Dearborn counties, and a portion of Jefferson County
- Rep. Denny Zent, R-Angola, will finish his term and not return. He has served House District 51, which includes portions of LaGrange and Steuben counties in northeast Indiana, since 2012.
- Rep. Ryan Hatfield, D-Evansville, is the latest to announce he won’t run again. Instead, he will run for judge in Vanderburgh County. Hatfield has served House District 77 since 2016.
- Rep. Chuck Goodrich, R-Noblesville, is running for the 5th District Congressional seat. He has served Indiana House District 29 since 2018.
- Sen. John Crane, R-Avon, is not seeking re-election in Senate District 24, which he has served since 2016.
Pros and cons
The deadline to file for the 100 House seats and 25 Senate seats up for election this year is Feb. 9.
With every departure, there is a loss to the institution. Each member brings expertise, whether it be Torr’s experience in the health care and judicial arenas, Cherry’s knowledge of agricultural issues, or Zent’s awareness of veteran’s needs.
Longtime lawmakers have established the key relationships needed to move legislation or help constituents navigate state agencies. As a journalist, I can tell you those with experience understand their bills better, know how the process works and can speak with more authority on a host of items.
But at the same time, having new eyes join the legislature is refreshing. It’s sometimes helpful to look beyond how we have always done something and think about how it can be better.
Years ago, far more lawmakers left early, didn’t run or were defeated. For instance, in the 1966-1968 cycle, 56 total legislators out of 150 changed for one reason or another. That is 37% of the entire General Assembly.
More recently, those numbers have been more in the 20s. In the 2016-2018 cycle, 26 legislators left early, didn’t run or lost – about 17%.
The key is to find a good balance of institutional knowledge and experience versus fresh perspectives and energy.