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Rep. Bell in running for Senate seat |
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Friday, May 30 2008 |
By TJ HEMLINGER
Staff writer
State Rep. Matt Bell, R-Avilla, who represents the northeast corner of Whitley County, including Churubusco, has thrown his hat into the ring to replace State Sen. Robert Meeks, R-LaGrange, who has decided to pull out of the general election this fall due to his health.
Senate District 13 includes all of Noble and LaGrange counties as well as portions of DeKalb, Steuben and Kosciusko counties. Meeks had been the district’s senator for 20 years.
Republican precinct committeemen and women will meet in a caucus at 10 a.m. June 7 in Kendallville to choose a replacement candidate for Meeks. Two other men are in the field as well: state Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Howe, and former state Rep. Brad Fox, who lives in Rome City.
If Bell, 33, is chosen, it means he will no longer represent Churubusco, and party leaders would need to caucus again to choose a replacement for him. Whoever they choose then would be on the ballot this fall in the general election.
“It was a difficult decision for me and my wife Jackie,” Bell said Thursday. “I certainly have the utmost respect for Bob Meeks. In a perfect world I would hope he could continue. He’s been a great public servant.”
Bell said party leaders contacted him about filling Meeks’ seat. He said he sees two challenges facing whoever succeeds him.
“We want to work to make sure our region is relevant in discussions at the state house,” Bell said. “Bob had a lot of resources due to his tenure and personality.
“Second, our next state senator must be responsive to his constituents. People who try to interact tend to be very important. They need to know they have an advocate. I think people who know me say I do that well.”
Bell was first elected to the House in 2005 after being chosen to replace Bob Alderman on the ballot. Alderman withdrew to become the Indiana Department of Transportation director in Fort Wayne.
Bell is the ranking member on the Public Policy Committee and also serves on the Family, Children and Human Affairs Committee and the Labor and Employment Committee, where he previously was the ranking Republican member.
“I will continue to fight for good jobs that will lead to prosperity for this district,” Bell said. “Unemployment is too high, and high-paying jobs have left. I would work with the economic development organizations that lead to good jobs and prosperity in this region.”
Bell is executive director of Leap of Noble County, which works with up to 400 men and women each week, both adults and children.
“One of the considerations I had that was very difficult was that by representing (Senate) District 13 I would no longer be working with Whitley County,” Bell said. “People in Whitley County are a pleasure to deal with. They do a number of things well. There is cooperation between the cities and the county. If I succeed, I’ll miss that.” |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, June 03 2008 )
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