Primary candidate Q&A: Indiana House District 41
Primary candidate Q&A: Indiana House District 41
Rep. Mark Genda faces a challenge May 7 from Joe Sturm in the District 41 Republican primary. The winner would face Democratic candidate Dan Sikes. A Q&A ahead of the primary
This is part of a series of Q&As with candidates in contested races in the May 7 primary in Tippecanoe County.
State Rep. Mark Genda, a Republican from Frankfort first elected to the General Assembly in 2022, faces a primary challenge May 7 from Joe Sturm in Indiana House District 41.
The district includes a large part of southeastern Tippecanoe County, along with parts of Clinton and Boone counties.
The winner on May 7 would face Dan Sikes, a Democrat from Tippecanoe County.
Early voting started April 9.
Here, the Genda, Sturm and Sikes discuss their approach to the two-year position in the General Assembly. (Note: Sturm’s responses were taken from his answers from a Ballotpedia survey, which he pointed to for his take on answers. Where there weren’t matches between questions and his responses to similar questions, those were left blank.)
For more: Find bios of each candidate, along with information about where and when to vote at the end of this article.
Why do you want this job? Why are you running now and in this particular race for political office?
Mark Genda: This is not a job for me. This is a service to the 67,000 people who reside in District 41. I felt called to run for state representative two years ago. Throughout my time at the Statehouse, I've found that my years of experience as a funeral director/owner gave me the skills needed to navigate the complexities needed for this position. I'm running for re-election to continue to serve the people of District 41 without bias.
Joe Sturm: Not answered.
Dan Sikes: Before I was a candidate, I was a voter. For so long, I felt my voice had gone unheard nor did I feel I was being represented. I didn’t see anyone stepping up, so I decided to throw my name in the ring so I can listen to the voters and be the voice our current legislators should be for us.
Name two of your top priorities for this position. And how will you handle them to get them accomplished?
Mark Genda: From day one of my 2022 campaign, my top priority was to be the voice of the majority that I represent. This has not changed. In order to accomplish that, I welcome people to my home office in Frankfort for open office hours. I want to make myself available for one-on-one conversations on any topic or concern. For office hour details, check out my Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/markgendafor41/ or call 765-650-5160.
Joe Sturm: The egregious claims of the IEDC that they can reallocate water resources within the district in favor of the LEAP project corporate interests is the “watershed issue” in House District 41. I will be an advocate in the Indiana House of Representatives for individual and community property and resource rights against such claims. The rigged and stolen presidential race (and other federal offices) of 2020 demonstrated that there is much to be desired in the area of election integrity. Secure Indiana elections, vote on Election Day only using paper ballots.
Dan Sikes: The top priority is to shut the LEAP project down and get the IEDC to be more transparent and to not give them so much authority. Our current district rep has already voted to green light this project without taking any of the effects it can have on its members of the district and the state. The second priority is to work with each county to help give their residents a better living condition. A great example, Mulberry is having water issues due to their current system. They need funding to make the needed changes. I want to work to get solutions and take action to get the needed changes. But Mulberry isn’t the only one facing issues such as this. I have been attending city and town halls so I can see what issues each place is facing, so if I am elected, I can get to work for the people and not waste my two years in getting to know the areas.
Where do you stand on proposed development of a pipeline to supply water to the LEAP district in Boone County? What, if anything, should be done to either encourage, regulate or stop a proposed pipeline, whether where it was initially proposed in western Tippecanoe County or in other parts of the state?
Mark Genda: I signed onto a bill with Rep. Sharon Negele (HD13) calling for oversight to Indiana's water resources. It wasn't heard in the 2024 legislative session; but they heard you. At this time, there is no pipeline being built. Water studies are being conducted and we are all eagerly awaiting the results. Once we have those details, I will be meeting with you to determine our next steps. The LEAP project has opened up a statewide conversation concerning one of our most vital and precious natural resources. I could tell you as a politician that I can stop a state sanctioned pipeline, but that would not be true. However, I continue to have conversations with my fellow legislators on the importance of our natural resources to the whole of Indiana. I will continue to support research and development of water uses across the state.
Joe Sturm: Stop LEAP and the IEDC, protect our rural and agricultural lands from outside interests.
Dan Sikes: Boone County is growing, there is no denying that. I am never one to stand in the way of progress, but I will when it means taking from one thriving county to grow another when it is evident that the amount of water they want to pump will have major consequences to our county. IEDC has been given too much power, and they need to have more checks and balances in place to protect all counties it is looking to take from.
There have been calls for more transparency for the Indiana Economic Development Corp. and the way it conducts business. Do you agree with that? What, if anything, should be changed in the way the IEDC operates?
Mark Genda: I would support that we have elected state officials on the IEDC board as proposed by my senator Brian Buchanan.
Joe Sturm: Central planning by government entities such as the Indiana Economic Development Corporation where these entities become "shadow" governments, picking and choosing winners and losers as a "crony capitalism" system is a clear and present danger in this country, reminiscent of the takeover of private property and businesses in the former USSR. Elitists and globalists insist on establishing there power base and relegating regular citizens to a proletariat lifestyle where they own nothing and have no economic or personal liberty. This is not the vision of the founders of this country, conflicts with the "American way of life" and will take away the freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution if not confronted and stopped.
Dan Sikes: The IEDC should be answering to the people, a committee made up of citizens, to be voted on by the citizens. Reporting to only the governor behind closed doors is no one’s idea of being transparent.
Do you support the state’s effort to hold students back and repeat third grade if they fail state reading tests?
Mark Genda: Yes. As I meet with constituents, instead of opposition, I've been asked if there is a training session that they can attend to volunteer to help students that need additional support. This is Indiana. We rally behind our neighbors and community. I will be looking for local guidance and support to create this community opportunity to make sure our students are ready for their next challenge. I will support this being funded by the state of Indiana. We are all in this together.
Joe Sturm: Not answered
Dan Sikes: If a student is failing, we should not allow them to fall behind. This requires more attention from teachers to help get kids to the level they need to be at. Which brings me to the next point, we keep seeing bills being passed to cut funding for public education, or give vouchers where they do not need to be. This state needs to invest more into the public schools, better pay for teachers, more funding for books, supplies, anything the public education system needs to prepare the children for the future.
What’s one issue dealing with K-12 education that you’d want to address in the General Assembly in the next two years? And how would you get that done?
Mark Genda: Teacher retention. We need to stop passing legislation and start asking those in the position. We need to put first year, five year and decades long educators in a room with parents, not parties or unions, to determine the best path forward for our students.
Joe Sturm: Not answered.
Dan Sikes: As mentioned above, funding for public education. Specifically, teacher’s pay. Our Indiana teachers are paying down student loans, buying needed supplies for their classrooms, and trying to support themselves and or their families. When some say the teachers shouldn’t be in it for the money, we have to be realistic and give them a livable wage and to feel appreciated in all that they do! Since the budgets for public education had been cut for other needs, then I plan to look through the state budget and see what areas could stand cut and add it back to the public education system.
Do you agree with the higher ed reforms – dealing with faculty tenure, promoting “intellectual diversity” in classrooms and more – contained in Senate Bill 202 in the 2024 session? Did it get things right, go too far or not far enough when attempting to reform Indiana’s university campuses?
Mark Genda: While this topic has not come up in my district, I voted yes on SB 202 because I believe there is an importance to "intellectual diversity." We, as a society, have lost the art of the "agree to disagree" mentality while holding onto our own principle values.
Joe Sturm: Not answered.
Dan Sikes: Education should never be limited, self-expression should never be limited. The thought itself is a violation to the freedoms the Constitution gives us. The great thing about this country, is we are all able to make up our own minds and study what we want to study. As for professors having to limit what they can say about their own opinions, that alone removes the learning experience. One must be challenged and allowed to decide what they feel fits them and their beliefs and values. Professors also have a hard job, shaping minds of young adults about to enter the world. That can be stressful alone, so for a person to endure those stresses, tenure should allowed and remain.
Indiana’s 2022 abortion law restricts abortions with limited exceptions for cases involving rape, incest and some medical complications, but continues to face legal challenges. Do you support the way law was written? And what changes would you propose or support in the next legislative session?
Mark Genda: I support the way the law was written. I have no proposed changes to the law.
Joe Sturm: Not answered.
Dan Sikes: I will be clear and blunt with my answer, abortions are healthcare, and there should never be a law on healthcare, but especially on one’s body.
Would you vote to legalize marijuana in Indiana? And if so, to what extent? If not, why not?
Mark Genda: My constituents support medical use of marijuana so I support it as well.
Joe Sturm: Not answered.
Dan Sikes: Legalization of cannabis is proving to be a huge positive in the states it has been legalized. We need to join our neighboring states and legalize cannabis, take the taxes from the sales and put it into our infrastructure, i.e. public education. It’s time to remove outdated laws that have been placed there by people with their own agendas in mind.
Name two specific things that separate you from your opponent and why they matter.
Mark Genda: While I don't know specifically why people voted for me two years ago, I hope it was because I ran, and continue to run, as a representative of the people of District 41 and not a group's agenda. I've only known what it is to be a Hoosier for the last 60+ years. I support the family focused, conservative approach of Indiana. I believe my state is a glass more than half full, not half empty. There are a lot of great things happening in Indiana despite what might be mentioned in the headlines.
Joe Sturm: Not answered.
Dan Sikes: The first thing that separates me from my opponent is I am not a retired business owner, looking to keep voting in their own interests, and his voting on the House floor says that. I want to help the people in this state, in my state. Starting with District 41. The second, I am sure you can tell that I do not speak like a politician. That’s because I am looking to redefine what a politician looks like, talks like, and behaves like. I won’t sugar coat answers or tell you what you want to hear.
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Candidate bios
Mark Genda
Party: Republican
Age: 61
Occupation: Retired funeral home owner, owner of Genda Rentals and licensed funeral director
Education: Worsham College of Mortuary Science
Past elected positions, if any: Indiana State Representative, District 41; Community Schools of Frankfort Board Member, eight years
Community boards or other community leadership and service: Past president of the following: Paul Phillippe Resource Center, Friends of the Manor (Wesley Manor), Optimist Club, Lions Club; various board positions at St. Matthew United Methodist Church
Your campaign site online: https://www.facebook.com/markgendafor41/
Joe Sturm
Party: Republican
Occupation: Retired after 40 years in the manufacturing industry as a quality engineering professional.
Past election positions: member of the Lauramie Township Board in Tippecanoe County.
Immediate family: wife, Pat; eight children
Dan Sikes
Party: Democratic
Age: 40
Occupation: Office Manager for Reliable Exterminators
Education: Harrison High School, 2002; Ivy Tech -Business Management & Administration, 2014; Rasmussen University, Business Management and Administration, 2016; Purdue University, MBA, 2021
Past elected positions, if any: Never ran
Community boards or other community leadership and service: NA
Immediate family: Edward Sikes- Father
Your campaign site online: www.citizensfordan.org
ABOUT THE MAY 7 PRIMARY
Early voting ahead of the May 7 primary election started April 9 with contested races on Tippecanoe County ballots for governor, U.S. House, several Indiana General Assembly seats, Tippecanoe County commissioner and Tippecanoe County Council at-large seats. A few things to know:
The candidates and races: For a look at all the candidates who will be on Republican and Democratic ballots in the May 7 primary in Tippecanoe County, check here.
Voter registration/ballots: To check your voter registration and to see candidates who will be on your R or D ballot, go to the Secretary of State’s portal at www.indianavoters.com.
Early voting sites: In Tippecanoe County, registered voters may cast their ballot at any vote center.
Starting April 9: Tippecanoe County Office Building, 20 N. Third St., Lafayette. Hours: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays (April 9-12; April 15-19; April 22-26; April 19-May 3); 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, April 27, and Saturday, May 4; and 8 a.m.-noon Monday, May 6.
April 25: Black Cultural Center at Purdue, 1100 Third St., West Lafayette. Hours: Noon-6 p.m.
April 27: West Point Fire Station, 4949 Indiana 25 South, West Point; Clarks Hill Christian Church, 9510 Pearl St., Clarks Hill; and Otterbein United Methodist Church, 405 E. Oxford St., Otterbein. Hours: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
April 30-May 4: Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds, 1406 Teal Road, Lafayette; John Dennis Wellness Center, 1101 Kalberer Road, West Lafayette; Eastside Assembly of God Church, 6121 E. County Road 50 South, Lafayette; Wea Ridge Baptist Church, 1051 E. County Road 430 South, Lafayette. Hours: noon-6 p.m. April 30-May 3; 9 a.m.-3 p.m. May 4.
Election Day vote centers: Voting on Tuesday, May 7, will be 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Registered voters in Tippecanoe County may choose any of these sites.
Lafayette
Evangelical Covenant Church, 3600 S. Ninth St.
Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds, 1406 Teal Road
Northend Community Center, 2000 Elmwood Ave.
Lafayette Community Church of the Nazarene, 3801 Union St.
Eastside Assembly of God, 6121 E. County Road 50 South
Tippecanoe County Historical Association History Center, 522 Columbia St.
Wea Ridge Baptist Church, 1051 E. County Road 430 South
West Lafayette
John Dennis Wellness Center, 1101 Kalberer Road
Faith West Community Center, 1920 Northwestern Ave.
West Lafayette City Hall, 222 N. Chauncey Ave.
Outside Lafayette/West Lafayette
Wabash Township Fire Station No. 1, 2899 Klondike Road
Tippecanoe Township Fire Station No. 2, 448 W. County Road 650 North
Battle Ground Fire Station, 112 North St., Battle Ground
Dayton Gathering Point Church, 7201 Wesleyan Drive, Dayton
Shadeland Town Hall, 2584 Indiana 25 West
On the ballot: Here are candidates who have filed or have indicated they plan to file in Tippecanoe County races ahead of the May 7 primary.
Tippecanoe County
Commissioner, District 2: David Byers* and Jeff Findley, R; Steven Mayoras, Libertarian; Wissam Nour, Independent
Commissioner, District 3: Tom Murtaugh*, R; Jaime Ortiz, Libertarian
County Council, at-large (3): Republicans: John Basham*, Paige Britton, Dan Dunten, Barry Richard* and Kevin Underwood*. Democrats: Katy Bunder, Ben Carson, Amanda Eldridge, Joe Mackey and Wendy Starr.
Coroner: Carrie Costello*, R
Treasurer: Yadira Salazar*, R
Surveyor: Zach Beasley*, R
Judge, Circuit Court: Sean Persin*, R
Judge, Superior Court 6: Michael Morrissey*, R
Statehouse races
House District 13: Matthew Commons and Sharon Negele*, R; Ed Moyer Jr., D
House District 26: Chris Campbell*, D; Jim Schenke, R
House District 27: Sheila Klinker*, D; Oscar Alvarez, R
House District 38: Heath VanNatter* and Jason Gossard, R
House District 41: Mark Genda* and Joe Sturm, R; Dan Sikes, D
Statewide
Governor: Mike Braun, Brad Chambers, Suzanne Crouch, Eric Doden, Curtis Hill and Jamie Reitenour, R; Jennifer McCormick, D
Federal
U.S. House, District 4: Jim Baird*, Charles Bookwalter and John Piper, R; Rimpi Girn and Derrick Holder, D
U.S. Senate: Jim Banks, R; Valerie McCray and Marc Carmichael, D
Townships
Shadeland Township Board: Michael Kuipers, Pamela Luenz, Robert Morrison Jr. and Josh Shives, R.
Shadeland Clerk-Treasurer: Charlene Brown, R
The general election also will include these, with filing deadlines this summer …
School boards: Lafayette School Corp., three at-large seats; Tippecanoe School Corp. seats in District 4, District 5, District 6 and District 7; and West Lafayette Community School Corp, four at-large seats.
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