Nashville Town Council Vice President Anna Hofstetter will not seek re-election this year as she plans to run as an independent for the Indiana House of Representatives District 62 seat.
Hofstetter formally announced her plans to run for the open seat in a press release last week.
“Most people agree that it’s more important to vote for the right person for the job rather than a specific party,” Hofstetter said.
“I would be honored to be that person.”
Running to be elected as the first independent state representative will not be an easy task, Hofstetter said.
“It will definitely be an uphill battle, but I’m up for the challenge,” she said.
“The easy way is not always the best way. True change comes from dedication, sacrifice and hard work.”
In her press release, Hofstetter said she was approached by both Democrats and Republicans to join their tickets. She said her ability to get along with others across party lines will be “an invaluable tool in the statehouse,” the release states.
Running as an independent Hofstetter said she looks forward to “influencing state legislature on behalf of the people without coercion from parties or other special interest groups.”
Hofstetter’s interest in politics began when she was 14 and served as a page for her state senator. She has a degree in political science.
She was elected to the town council in 2018. She also serves on the Brown County Community Corrections Advisory Board, Brown County Solid Waste Board and the Nashville Parks Commission.
Hofstetter also helped to start the Nashville Town Youth Council, the town Human Rights Commission and the Bicycle Pedestrian Safety Committee. Hofstetter serves as the president of the board for Brown County Enrichment for Teens Association (BETA).
Her goals as state representative are simple: to respect, nurture and take care of the world.
She intends to accomplish the goals by improving public education, support trauma-informed understanding of substance use, legalizing marijuana and addressing climate change, the release states.
Hofstetter said public schools are under-funded and teachers are not paid enough.
“There is something very wrong when you see your child’s teacher bartending or the school nurse at the McDonald’s drive-thru window,” she said.
Supporting trauma-informed systems of care and legalizing marijuana as a way to reduce overdose deaths are two ways Hofstetter said the opioid use crisis can be addressed.
“We will make more, spend less and improve the health of our community,” Hofstetter said of legalizing marijuana.
Hofstetter will join the race with four other candidates: Democrats Penny Githens and Brad Swain and Republicans Dave Hall and Greg “No Bull” Knott.
“I can do this job. I want this job,” she said.
After the decennial redistricting process, House District 62 has changed considerably and now includes Owen, Pershing and Salt Creek townships in northwestern Jackson County, all of Brown County and large portion of Monroe County including Bloomington.
That seat has been held by Jeff Ellington, R-Bloomington, since 2015 and currently includes portions of Greene, Monroe, Martin and Daviess counties.
For more information on Hofstetter’s campaign visit www.anna4indy.com.
