Three Democrats vying for Indiana House seat held by Republican Joanna King - WVPE

LOCAL stories from WVPE's news team Three Democrats vying for Indiana House seat held by Republican Joanna King WVPE 88.1 Elkhart/South Bend | By Michael Gallenberger Published April 24, 2026 at 2:49 PM EDT Listen • 1:12 Michael Gallenberger / WVPE Three Democrats are vying to represent the Goshen and Middlebury areas in the Indiana House of Representatives. The primary candidates for House District 49 had a chance to make their case to hundreds of potential voters Thursday, at an event hosted by the Goshen City Democratic Party. Monica Garbaciak said she’d fight to protect essential supports for families, like childcare and health care. "Even today, I received a text," Garbaciak added. "I have been on a waitlist for childcare for a year and four months, and they asked me again today if I wanted to remain on that waitlist." She said she believes decisions around women’s health should be up to individuals and families, not the government. “There is a huge gap between the people making the decisions and the real-life challenges families – my family is facing today in our political climate,” Garbaciak said. Susan Lawson said she’d advocate for support for sexual assault survivors and take steps to further combat bullying, which she said is underreported. "Because it’s underreported, they don’t get the proper information," Lawson added. "The data is not true. It doesn’t tell the truth about how many kids are struggling." She saw being a state representative as an opportunity to advocate for those who are struggling. "You want to come to Indianapolis? I’m happy to come to you," Lawson said. "Let’s talk about what you need and what to negotiate. How can I help you? The leverage I would have as a state rep. How do I help you? That is huge." Michelle Milne said she has the ability to bring people together to find solutions, citing her experience as an educator and theater professional. “I have spent the majority of my adult life bringing people into a room, people who disagree with each other about a whole lot of things, but we facilitate creating a world we envision, together,” Milne said. She promised to communicate clearly and help more people feel that they have a voice. "We share so many goals, so many values," Milne said. "We often just disagree on how to get there." The winner of the Democratic primary will face incumbent Republican Joanna King in November’s general election.