A third Lawrence County resident is a candidate for the Indiana State Senate District 44 seat.
Bedford native Linda Henderson is the first Democrat on the ballot. On the Republican side, Eric Koch and Josh Anderson, both of Bedford, will battle it out in the May 3 primary election.
District 44 covers Brown and Lawrence counties and portions of Bartholomew, Jackson and Monroe counties. Incumbent Republican Brent Steele announced over the summer that this would be his final year in office.
“I am running for the state senate because families in Indiana deserve someone who will help them break their personal glass ceiling,” said Henderson, 54. “Whether it’s preschool for our kids or finding new ways for adults to access post-secondary education, greater opportunities for our families will lead to a stronger economy and stronger communities.”
From 1992 to 1994, Henderson represented District 65 in the Indiana House of Representatives. At the time, it covered Brown and Lawrence counties, as well as the western part of Jackson County.
She pioneered the Community Learning Centers concept; today, there are nearly 50 such centers in the state.
Her current job is community relations specialist for the Indiana University School of Public Health.
She also is an adjunct instructor for Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington.
Education and infrastructure issues prompted her to run for Senate.
As a state representative, she was the vice chairwoman of roads and transportation.
“I don’t understand how we’ve let it get this bad,” she said of roads, which she described as “neglectful.”
Henderson also said she is concerned about the drug issue in the area.
She said she wants to develop prevention strategies, including working with kids at an early age so they don’t experiment with drugs in the first place.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Linda Henderson” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Hometown: Bedford
Occupation: Community relations specialist for the Indiana University School of Public Health; adjunct instructor for Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington
Political experience: District 65 state representative, 1992-94
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