The Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce had a gubernatorial forum on Monday, March 25, at the Warsaw Community High School Performing Arts Center at which three of the GOP candidates, from left former Attorney General Curtis Hill, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and former Indiana Economic Development Corp. President Eric Doden, were present.

Text and Photos
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Kosciusko County residents got to hear from several of the Republican candidates running for governor on Monday, March 25.

The Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce held a gubernatorial candidate forum then. Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, former Attorney General Curtis Hill and former Indiana Economic Development Corp. President Eric Doden answered questions posed by local media representatives on topics ranging from economics to the fentanyl epidemic.

They had two minutes to answer each question.

The first question involved candidates explaining who they were and why they wanted to be governor.

Hill noted he’d been Elkhart County prosecutor as well as attorney general.

“I’m running for governor because I am convinced that Hoosiers are hungry for proven conservative leadership,” he said. “We all are experiencing the assault on truth in this country, and we are experiencing a loss of faith in our institutions, the manipulation of justice.”

“We need to elect people here in this state who not only want to defend the freedom here for Hoosiers, but will also take on Washington, D.C., because the folks that we send to Washington give up, drop the ball and don’t get things done,” Hill continued. “We need to have a good leader and fighter.”

“I believe in America. I believe in freedom. I believe in a culture of life,” he said, adding regarding the last element he brought back 2,411 Indiana babies from Illinois who’d been aborted to be buried in Indiana.

He also noted in 2020 he issued an opinion stating leaders didn’t have the right to enforce a mask mandate.

Crouch said she wants to become governor “because I care deeply about Indiana and about Hoosiers.”

“And I have the political courage to boldly lead Indiana into the future,” she added. “We will do it by focusing on four building blocks. We are going to grow our economy and our infrastructure, invest in education and workforce training, strengthen our families and our communities and then modernize state government.”

“As lieutenant governor, I have been growing our economy by leading the effort to expand broadband throughout Indiana, and as governor, I’ll continue by leading the fight to eliminate the state income tax. We’re going to ax the tax. Hoosiers are struggling. We can put thousands of dollars into their pockets every year.”

She said removing the tax was possible by “eliminating government growth, by eliminating wasteful government spending and then by finding efficiencies in government.”

She also said she wanted “to reform education” and “make sure that the fentanyl dealers are treated as the murderers they are.”

Doden said he’d been married 25 years and had five children, including one adopted daughter. He grew up first in the small-town of Butler and moved to Auburn as a teenager.

“My grandfather was a pastor and had a big influence in my life,” he said, adding what he learned from his grandfather was “faith without works is dead.”

“We put our faith to work every day and roll up our sleeves and work hard,” said Doden. “And the other one is that without vision, the people perish,” said Doden.

He said people could expect “a bold vision” if he became governor.

“We’re the only candidate that has a vision for our small towns that we have ignored for 50 years,” he said, adding that he would implement an Indiana Main Street initiative to revitalize the towns. He also said he was pro-life and would put in place “a $0 cost adoption policy” if elected.

Another question asked Monday was regarding fentanyl and how candidates would “curb the epidemic.”

Hill noted fentanyl could be fought by “prioritizing … resources” and having interdictions whereby law enforcement could complete special patrols making arrests.

He also said he was opposed to legalizing marijuana as it is “a gateway drug.”

Crouch said she’d continue what Gov. Eric Holcomb had opted to do by sending the Indiana National Guard down to the Mexican border to help prevent drugs from getting in.

She also said she’d work with surrounding states’ governments to discover how drugs were getting into the area and reiterated she believed in harshly punishing those who dealt fentanyl.

Doden said he’d also send National Guard members to patrol the southern border.

He also said that he’d have the Indiana State Police work with local law enforcement “to make sure they have the tools and training they need” to deal with the fentanyl issue, that he supported having “an independent group” to ensure prosecutors are enforcing state drug laws and that he wanted to put money into addiction support groups.

The three were also asked about economic development and helping “stimulate” it throughout the state and “in regions that have traditionally struggled.”

Doden said he would “reimagine” state economic incentives by sending “10% to small towns” and continue regional initiatives to allow economic partnerships between municipalities.

Hill said he’d work to reduce regulations, which stifle economic development, and encourage “partnerships” in struggling areas to help local entities improve themselves.

Crouch said getting rid of the state income tax would “drive” economic development everywhere and she was in favor of “supporting and empowering” local and regional entities to better themselves economically.

Signs for candidates were set up along the entrance to the WCHS PAC.