

Edie Hardcastle, Democrat, is running for State Senate District 49 in 2018. Check back as the CP Elections team compiles stories, videos and additional information about her candidacy.


Hold old are you?


What is your occupation and where are you employed?

I am an Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Southern Indiana



Why are you the best candidate to serve in this position in the Indiana General Assembly?

Currently, Indiana spends the largest percentage of its’ budget on education.  We need to send more educators to the legislature who can work with the private sector to shape the training and educational needs of the next generation so that Indiana’s economy can grow and compete, and our communities will have a long-term, sustainable path to prosperity.  Moreover, as a fellow educator, I will listen to the issues of teachers and administrators and fight for adequate funding and resources for public education.  I also believe we need more women in the legislature to adequately address the issues of those who represent more than 50% of Indiana’s population, yet comprise less than 30% of its representation. Many of the issues that need to be addressed in our state are women’s issues including paid family leave, daycare, equal pay for equal work and a livable wage. I believe that these will only be fully addressed when we elect more women.

What should the state do to fight its opioid drug problem and address overcrowded prisons and local jails?

A healthy economy depends on healthy communities. Indiana simply cannot afford the current high rates of untreated drug addictions, untreated mental illnesses and chronic disabilities --not to mention one of the highest infant mortality rates in the country and an over-strained child protection system. How we address these problems is in part a measure of our respect for and responsibility to others, but it goes beyond that: our well-being as a society depends on providing adequate health and social services to those who need them. If elected, I will work diligently with Democrats and Republicans to increase resources for mental health care and support, opioid addiction intervention and treatment, and re-entry programs for those convicted of crimes. It’s also critically important to assure HIP 2.0 is adequately funded now and into the future to address our high infant mortality rate and provide adequate prenatal, postnatal and pregnancy prevention support to the most vulnerable women in the Hoosier state.

What steps must be taken to keep Indiana’s economy growing and develop a better-skilled workforce?

Creating a vibrant and thriving 21st-century economy in Indiana can only be built with a well-educated and trained workforce. The previous generation of Indiana lawmakers focused primarily on cutting business taxes in the disproven belief that that’s all it takes to attract business. That approach in our state has been the primary cause of our inability to adequately fund education and infrastructure. I will be part of a new generation of leadership that will create long-term economic prosperity by creating a tax system in which business will contribute their fair share of investment in education and infrastructure. We must also create business incentives to expand renewable energy and broadband in the state. Lastly, we cannot compete with other states for economic investment if we don’t support fair and livable wages for all workers as well as stand up for equal rights and opportunities for all.

What are your views on the continued use of coal for energy production and on the expansion of energy sources such as solar and wind?

Coal jobs are critical to the livelihood of many families in southwestern Indiana.  But we must recognize that we cannot cripple our economy by retaining expensive and polluting forms of energy production.  Indiana must be able to compete not only for commercial energy customers so that we can attract new business to the state but also for our residents who must pay the bills. This is not an either / or proposition. We can retain some fossil-fueled plants currently in operation on a short-term basis while we ramp up renewable energy sources such as solar and wind with proven backup storage capability. And we can do much better at implementing energy conservation programs.  The cost of ignoring where comparable states are at in this transition to renewables would be disastrous for our economic future.  Other states like Texas have already moved to 20% renewable energy and their economy is booming.  Indiana must keep up with other states in this process of transition to renewables.

Should the state pass laws that restrict access to abortion or expand access to abortion?

Women in the United States have the constitutional right to control the timing and size of their families. The most effective way to reduce the number of abortions is to provide easy and affordable access to all reproductive health care options as well as education about family planning options.  Countries in Latin America, where abortion is banned, have higher abortion rates than countries where it is legal. In addition, it is much more likely to be unsafe for women. Restricting access to reproductive care has exactly the opposite effect intended and results in larger number of abortive procedures due to higher rates of unintended pregnancies. We must use fact-based decision making if we want to achieve the desired result of lower abortion rates.

Should the process of drawing state legislative and congressional district lines be reformed to stop gerrymandering?

Our democracy was not designed for one party rule.  The current party in power holds a supermajority in the legislature. They have used computer programs to gerrymander districts in such a precise manner that now legislators choose their voters instead of the voters choosing their legislators. In the last legislative session, Republicans rejected an amendment that would allow an independent commission to approve district boundaries.  The result is that our representatives are no longer accountable to the people.  The party in power like to talk about working in a bipartisan fashion, but with gerrymandered districts and supermajorities in the legislature, they have no need to serve anyone but their contributors.  With the 2020 census approaching and redistricting on the horizon, elections for the state legislature are critically important to ensure we have strong advocates who will stand up for fair elections.

Should Indiana grocery, drug and convenience stores be allowed to sell cold beer?

I understand the goal of the prohibition on cold beer in grocery, drug, and convenience stores is to curb teenage liquor sales.  However, I think we should continue to reconsider changes to Indiana’s alcohol laws in the future to help business adapt to their consumers.



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