INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A state lawmaker running for Congress said he’s doing so because he’s concerned about the direction the country is taking.

Mike Speedy has served in the Indiana House of Representatives for more than a decade and spent nearly seven years as an Indianapolis City-County councilor before that. He also owns a small business. Speedy is now one of eight Republicans running to succeed Congressman Greg Pence, who is not seeking another term. Pence’s district, Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District, stretches from the southern third of Marion County to the Ohio state line.

In an interview with News 8 for All INdiana Politics, Speedy said that experience means he knows how to build the relationships necessary to carry out the legislative process.

Speedy said he would support federal legislation to ban abortion at the point at which a fetus could feel pain, though he stopped short of calling for a specific gestational age. On the topic of the border, Speedy said he wants to finish the border wall begun under President Donald Trump and deport anyone who crossed the border unlawfully under the Biden Administration. When asked if consideration should be given to asylum claims, he replied any discussions of immigration policy should wait until the border wall is completed.

“We need to figure those out, and we can’t have that discussion until we secure the border,” said Speed.

Speedy said he supports aid for Israel, but not Ukraine, saying Israel is a vital strategic partner in the Middle East. He said funding for Ukraine aid would be better spent at the border.

Speedy has also called for Congress to rein in rulemaking by federal agencies. He said one way to accomplish that would be to require Congressional approval for any administrative action with a fiscal impact of a certain amount.

All INdiana Politics airs at 9:30 a.m. Sunday on WISH-TV.