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Indiana University Northwest

Office of Marketing and Communications

IU Northwest to host Candidate Forum April 17

State Senator and State Representative candidates whose districts include Gary will discuss their positions in advance of the May 8 primary


Published: 

Media Contact

Emily Banas
Office of Marketing and Communications
980-6536
ebanas@iun.edu

Erika Rose
Office of Marketing and Communications
981-4358
erikrose@iun.edu

Indiana University Northwest is proud to present ‘The Future of Gary: A Legislator’s Perspective’ Candidate Forum on Tuesday, April 17, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the John W. Anderson Library Conference Center, room 105ABC. The event is sponsored by the IU Northwest Office of Minority Studies, the Center for Urban and Regional Excellence, and the Dunelands Sierra Club.

Candidates whose districts include portions of Gary will take the stage to discuss their positions in advance of the May 8 primary. Topics to be addressed include: economic development; the City of Gary’s finances; environmental sustainability; transportation; and education.

Candidates invited to the forum include:

District 2

State Representative

  • Ricardo (Rick) Garcia (Democrat)
  • Earl Harris (D-East Chicago) (incumbent)

State Senate

  • Lonnie Randolph (D-East Chicago) (incumbent & unopposed)

District 3

State Representative

  • Charlie Brown (D-Gary) (incumbent)
  • Tony Walker (Democrat)

State Senate

  • Earline Rogers (D-Gary) (incumbent)
  • David Vinzant (Democrat)
  • Darren Washington (Democrat)

District 14

State Representative

  • Sherman Carson (Democrat)
  • Vernon Smith (D-Gary) (incumbent)

Sandra Hall Smith, Assistant Director of the Center for Urban and Regional Excellence will moderate the forum. Each candidate will have three minutes to address each question, with a one-minute follow-up response. 

Following the event, attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions of each candidate.

Seating is limited and will be first-come, first-served.

The John W. Anderson Library Conference Center at IU Northwest is located on 35th Avenue in Gary, just one half-mile south of I-80/94.

For more information, contact Ellen Szarleta, Interim Director of the Center for Urban and Regional Excellence, at (219) 980-6698 or at eszarlet@iun.edu.