Two Republican candidates—both longtime southsiders—are on this spring’s primary ballot, competing for a spot on the fall ballot and a chance at representing the south side of Indianapolis and some Johnson County residents in the state legislature.
Incumbent Dollyne Sherman is facing off against John Jacob in the primary election for a shot at the District 93 seat in the Indiana House of Representatives.
State representatives author and vote on bills that come before the General Assembly, as well as approve the state’s bi-annual budget. District 93 includes the southern portion of Perry Township and Indianapolis in Marion County, and a portion of White River Township in Johnson County.
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Whoever wins the Republican primary will face one of three Democrats in the fall general election.
Sherman is a longtime southsider from Perry Township in Indianapolis. She was elected to the District 93 post last year in a Republican caucus to replace Dave Frizzell, who retired after serving in the position since 1992.
A large part of her career was spent in government. She served on the staffs of Gov. Bob Orr and Gov. Mitch Daniels, worked for Rep. Susan Brooks and worked with several legislators to get bills passed. Now, she runs a strategic communications firm called DS Consulting.
Her top priority if she’s re-elected is to get the economy running again following an onslaught of COVID-19-related shutdowns, Sherman said.
“Next year is going to be critically important because it’s a budget year,” she said. “We are going to have limited funds, so many of the things we were hoping to accomplish in this budget, we’re going to have to reevaluate.”
Another focus for Sherman is continuing to look at how the construction of Interstate 69 through Johnson County and Indianapolis will impact residents locally. In general, she’s eager to help meet the needs of the growing populations of Greenwood and Indianapolis’s south side, she said.
This is Jacob’s first time running for a public office. He’s lived on the south side of Indianapolis his whole life, and previously worked as an auditor for the Indiana State Board of Accounts before starting a design firm with his wife a few years ago.
Jacob is also involved in Christian ministry with his wife, including marriage mentoring, street evangelism, ministering international students and completing mission trips.
His faith and prayers culminated in his run for office, he said. His platforms include ending abortion in Indiana and preventing government overreach, he said.
“I’m very, very distressed at the decline in our culture,” Jacob said. “I’m distressed about how far we’ve strayed from the Constitution, and we’ve strayed from the amendments that go with it.”
If elected, Jacob would also focus on cutting taxes and passing a constitutional carry law in Indiana, which would allow residents to own firearms without government restrictions.
“I’m not wanting to regulate abortion, I want to end abortion completely, totally in Indiana,” Jacob said. “I think the government overreaches … people’s religious freedoms are being violated. Our second amendment rights are being violated across the nation.”
Jacob would also support small businesses in the state, being a small business owner himself, he said.
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Name: Dollyne Sherman
Age: 64
Residence: Perry Township
Family: Husband, David; three adult children
Occupation: Strategic communications consultant; small business owner
Education: Southport High School; Ball State University
Memberships: Harvest Indy South Bible Chapel
Political experience: Current state representative; worked for various state government leaders
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Name: John Jacob
Age: 53
Residence: Perry Township
Family: Wife, Angie; six adult children
Occupation: Small business owner
Education: Roncalli High School; IUPUI
Memberships: LifePoint Church
Political experience: None
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