Seymour’s Whitcomb announces bid for Lucas’ Indiana House seat

Seymour Democrat Trish Whitcomb announced her candidacy on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, for Indiana’s House District 69 seat, which is currently held by Republican incumbent Rep. Jim Lucas. (Photo from Whitcomb’s campaign)

Seymour Democrat Trish Whitcomb announced her candidacy Thursday for Indiana’s House District 69 seat, challenging Republican incumbent Rep. Jim Lucas, who earlier this summer pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of a crash.

Whitcomb, 70, champions her long history of work in Indiana politics in various capacities, including as the president of the Indiana Federation of Democratic Women, and as the campaign manager in 2012 for the former state superintendent of public instruction, Glenda Ritz.

She’s also worked as the executive director of the Indiana Retired Teachers Association.

Although she planned to run for the chair of Indiana’s Democratic Party in 2021, she withdrew her bid when her son died shortly after.

At a Thursday evening rally in Seymour, Whitcomb told supporters that many of the issues currently facing 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 the 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 is the daughter of Edgar D. Whitcomb, who served as Indiana’s governor from 1969 to 1973. Her father was a Republican, but she will run as a Democrat for the House seat.

Facing off with Rep. Jim Lucas

She is currently uncontested in the 2024 Democratic primary election and is expected to face incumbent Lucas, of Seymour, in the general election.

Whitcomb criticized Lucas in a letter published in the Seymour Tribune this summer, faulting his support of policies that allow guns in schools, as well as his arrest on charges that stemmed from the drunk driving crash.

Lucas, 59, failed multiple field sobriety tests May 31, when Seymour police found him nearly three miles south of the crash site where he hit a guardrail driving the wrong way on an interstate entrance ramp.

A portable breathalyzer test showed his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at .097—higher than the .08 legal limit in Indiana. Lucas additionally had THC—the active ingredient in marijuana—in his blood the day he was arrested.

He pleaded guilty in June to two charges.

In a Wednesday letter published by the Seymour Tribune, Lucas reiterated that, “I’m human. I screwed up.”

“Fortunately, and by the Grace of God, nobody was hurt by my actions that night and for that, I will be forever grateful. And given the fact that nobody got hurt, that night of bad decisions has been a blessing in disguise,” Lucas wrote. “Because of that night, I am getting professional help on how to better deal with certain life challenges.”

“Because of that night, I’ve experienced the very ugly side of people that live in glass houses and have skeletons in their closets. I’ve also experienced the wonderful, beautiful side of so many people that reached out with words of encouragement and support. Both experiences have been incredible motivation for me to strive to be a better person!”

Lucas, who has held office since 2012, has said he does not plan to step down, despite the crash and its aftermath.

In the last election cycle, Lucas won with 73% of the vote against Democratic opponent Chad Harmon.

District 69 includes the central and eastern half of Jackson County and parts of Bartholomew, Jennings, Scott and Washington counties.

Whitcomb said Thursday that she plans to meet with area residents regularly, starting after Labor Day, to talk about the issues they face.

“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.”