Howdy, Hoosiers. The time has come for another Hump Day Update, where I tell you what I’ve been up to, keep you up‑to‑date on the campaign, and give you a glimpse of what’s planned for the immediate future.
Last week, I mentioned a few things on the horizon, and it turned out to be a meaningful stretch across District 23 and beyond. On Friday, I attended the Indiana Farm Bureau Critical Issues Summit in Hendricks County. It was incredibly informative and helped deepen my understanding of the challenges and priorities facing Indiana farmers. Between this summit and the Ag Policy Summit I attended back in July, I feel like I’m finally starting to grasp the broader picture of agriculture across our state. I’ll be making a video about these insights soon, but I want to extend my gratitude to the Indiana Farm Bureau for putting on such a valuable event. And I’m proud to share that I’ve joined the organization as a member.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend the League of Women Voters Pitch‑In over the weekend due to being sick, and I didn’t want to risk getting anyone else sick. I used the downtime productively, though. I drafted a statewide anti‑data center policy framework, founded and began building a website for the Indiana Coalition for Community Protection, and sent an email invitation to nearly every candidate for state senate, incumbent and challenger alike, asking them to support the policy. I’ll be continuing that outreach this week by contacting the remaining senate candidates, the candidates for the house, and other officials throughout the state of Indiana.
All of this came just in time for the Data Center Ordinance Meeting in Vermillion County, which I attended in solidarity with residents opposed to bringing a data center into their community. I took the opportunity to speak, announce the newly formed ICCP, and provide the Commissioners with a copy of the policy framework. After nearly three hours of public comment, we were all very happy to hear the Commissioners vote to scrap the ordinance that had been proposed. They did express interest in passing a moratorium but also voiced concerns that the state government might overrule them, as has happened before with other development projects. I also know that the county council in Tippecanoe County had voiced the same concern. So, the fight isn’t over in Vermillion, but I’ll be reaching out to key figures in the weeks ahead to keep tabs on the process and continue supporting Hoosiers in my district as they push back against corporate impositions and state overreach.
Looking ahead, it doesn’t seem like there’s a whole lot going on in the district this week. I’ll be using the time to catch up on donor thank‑you letters, reach out to a few people and groups who’ve graciously extended invitations, and get myself prepared for what’s likely to be a sprint over the next two months.
Until next time, District 23, have yourselves a better‑than‑great weekend. I’ll be thinking about ya.
Genuinely,
Joshua Brant
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