Open Indiana House seats attract Republican challengers in northern suburbs

Two open Indiana House district seats in the northern suburbs will feature contested Republican primary elections next month.

Republicans Bill Gutrich of Westfield and Hunter Smith, a Zionsville resident and former Indianapolis Colts punter, are running for the open seat in Indiana House District 24, which includes Westfield, the west side of Carmel and the east side of Zionsville, along with Sheridan and other small towns in Boone and Hamilton counties.

The winner in the Republican primary faces uncontested Democrat Josh Lowry in the November general election. State Rep. Donna Schaibley, R-Carmel, has represented House District 24 since 2014. She announced last fall that she would retire.

In Indiana House District 29, which includes the city of Noblesville, Republicans Laura Alerding and Alaina Shonkwiler, both Noblesville residents, will compete in the primary. The winner faces uncontested Democrat Christopher Hartig in November.

State Rep. Chuck Goodrich, R-Noblesville, has represented House District 29 since 2018. Goodrich announced last year that he would run for Congress to represent Indiana’s 5th Congressional District. He is running against U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz and seven other Republicans in the primary.

Early voting for the primary election continues until Election Day on May 7. The general election is Nov. 5.

District 24

Gutrich is a businessman and Chicago native who has worked for Coca-Cola, Conagra, Greenfield-based Elanco Animal Health, Samsung and Unilever. He and his wife are franchise owners of three Pets Supplies Plus stores in Brownsburg, Columbus and Muncie.

“I think I have a uniquely broad base of experience in my corporate business life,” he told IBJ.

Gutrich said the most important issues to him are public safety, education, fiscal responsibility and smart development.

“The 24th District is the fastest-growing district in Indiana, and we have a lot going on here, particularly in Westfield,” he said. “We have massive housing growth, but not enough corporate growth, so we have a property tax issue where property taxes are very high because we haven’t built that 3% [corporate] tax base with the job creation that comes along with that.”

A state constitutional amendment that voters approved in 2010 caps property tax bills at 1% of assessed value for owner-occupied homes. Property taxes on commercial development, however, are generally capped at 3% of assessed value, making that land more valuable to local governments trying to provide services for residents.

Gutrich added that he supports Sheridan’s desire to merge with Adams Township to protect itself and its future growth from annexation by Westfield.

He believes it is important that he lives in Hamilton County, which covers a large majority of House District 24. He has received endorsements from former Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard, Westfield Mayor Scott Willis, State Sen. Scott Baldwin, R-Noblesville, and the three Hamilton County commissioners.

Smith, who punted in the NFL from 1999 to 2010, owns WonderTree Farm in Zionsville, where he lives with his wife, Jennifer, and four children. He also is a musician and author.

He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1999 and played for the Colts from 1999-2008.

Smith, who did not respond to an interview request from IBJ, told the Indiana Capital Chronicle in December that his top priorities are environmental issues, including conservation, farming and food. He said environmental issues are a “missed opportunity” for conservatives.

According to Smith’s campaign website, he is also focused on parental rights in education, public safety, anti-abortion issues, the Second Amendment, and growth and development.

Smith has received endorsements from Indiana Right to Life PAC and Americans for Prosperity, a conservative policy organization founded by brothers Charles and David Koch.

District 29

Alerding most recently served as president of the Hamilton East Public Library Board, which received criticism last year for a book review and relocation policy for books containing profanity, sexual content and violence.

Alerding’s website says her tenure on the library board “became a path for protecting children from age-inappropriate content.” Her term on the library board ended in August when the Noblesville Schools Board of Trustees did not renew her appointment.

“The path for collaboration during my recent library board term was a series of listening meetings I established with colleagues, the public, and community leaders,” her campaign website says. “After reviewing books brought to our attention by the public, in every case, they suggested having age-appropriate content in the teen, middle school, and juvenile sections. NOT banning or removing books.”

Alerding, who did not respond to an interview request from IBJ, says on her website that she would focus on education, health care costs and property tax relief for low- and fixed-income homeowners as a state representative.

She has received endorsements from Attorney General Todd Rokita, Secretary of State Diego Morales, the National Rifle Association, Indiana Family Action PAC and American Families Association of America.

Alerding has worked as a precinct committee member, state convention delegate and Noblesville GOP Club co-chair.

She owns Creative Promotions at Work LLC, a promotional and marketing business, and has a combined family of six children, 18 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Shonkwiler, who refers to herself on her website as a “compassionate conservative,” works as a manager in government advisory for Indianapolis-based accounting firm Katz Sapper & Miller.

She previously worked as director of economic development for Indianapolis-based Veridus Group Inc., workforce development director for Noblesville Schools, assistant director of economic development for the city of Noblesville and program coordinator for the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce.

As a state representative, Shonkwiler would focus on education, health care reform, public safety investment and economic development, according to her campaign website. She also did not respond to an interview request from IBJ.

Shonkwiler’s husband, Jason, is a sergeant with the Noblesville Police Department, and the couple has a teenage son and daughter.

Shonkwiler has received endorsements from Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen, Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness, State Sen. Scott Baldwin (R-Noblesville) and former State Sen. Luke Kenley.

Shonkwiler also served as Spartz’s district director in 2021 and 2022.

Other suburban races

• House District 32: First-term Democratic State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn will face Republican Patricia Bratton in November. Wilburn won a close election over Republican Fred Glynn in 2022 to represent the district that includes Hamilton County’s Clay and Delaware townships and extends south into Marion County.
• House District 39: Democrat Matt McNally will face Republican Danny Lopez in the general election. The winner will succeed long-time Republican State Rep. Jerry Torr, who is retiring this year after 28 years at the Statehouse. District 39 includes parts of Carmel and Westfield.
• House District 41: First-term Republican Rep. Mark Genda is receiving a primary challenge from Joe Sturm, who is campaigning to stop construction of the LEAP Research and Innovation District and protect rural and agricultural land. The Republican primary winner will face Democrat Dan Sikes in November. District 41 includes northern and western Boone County; western, southern and southwestern Clinton County; northeastern Montgomery County; and eastern Tippecanoe County.