Sen. Hershman to run for Buyer’s seat

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Republican state Sen. Brandt Hershman of Lafayette said Tuesday that he will run for the congressional seat being vacated by Republican Rep. Steve Buyer.

Hershman, 43, said he plans to file the necessary paperwork soon to run in the heavily Republican 4th District. He has been Buyer's district operations director for all 18 years Buyer has been in office.

Buyer announced last week that he will not seek re-election because his wife, Joni, has an incurable autoimmune disease.

Republican Secretary of State Todd Rokita announced Monday that he is running for the seat. Two other Republicans, Cheryl Denise Allen of Martinsville and Mark Seitz of Indianapolis are also are running.

Purdue University biology professor David Sanders, who lost badly to Buyer in the 2004 and 2006 elections, is the only Democrat to announce a campaign.

Buyer is backing Hershman, who was first elected to the state
Senate in 2000 and now is chairman of the Senate Tax Committee.

"I have a 10-year record of voting for such things as job creation, and I have a strong knowledge and understanding of the district having worked on the federal side for several years," Hershman said. "I view this as an opportunity to have an interview with the voters."

Hershman co-authored legislation in 2008 that caps annual increases in property taxes. He also successfully pushed legislation that overhauled Indiana's telecommunications laws. He said that has led to $1.5 billion in telecommunications investments in the state.

The district stretches from the Lafayette area through the western and southern suburbs of Indianapolis to Bedford.

Candidates have until Feb. 19 to file.