Nearly 30 members of the Indiana Rural Summit coalition filed Wednesday to run for seats in the Indiana House and Senate, marking what organizers described as one of the largest coordinated candidate filings in recent memory. The group says its goal is to elevate rural and small-town concerns in a General Assembly often dominated by big-city and suburban priorities.
The Indiana Rural Summit is a statewide effort launched by the Committee for Rural Engagement in 2024. What began as a tour supporting a dozen House candidates across 30 counties in south-central Indiana has expanded into a broader organizing network, coalition leaders said, with candidates and volunteers now active throughout the state.
Candidates filing as Democrats under the coalition banner include Ryan Kominakis (HD 4), Warren Ashley Hammac (HD 16), Austin Meives (HD 23), Racheal Bleicher (HD 24), Tiffany Stoner (HD 25), Coumba Kebe (HD 29), Devon Wellington (HD 29), John E. Bartlett (HD 33), Sara Gullion (HD 34), Phil Gift (HD 35), Nate Stout (HD 38), Will Colteryahn (HD 40), Kelsey Kauffman (HD 44), Michael Potter (HD 47), Suzanne Fortenberry (HD 57), Rep. Matt Pierce (HD 61), Amy Huffman Oliver (HD 62), Ryan Price (HD 66), Hunter Collins (HD 68), Chris Bowen (HD 69), Sarah Blessing (HD 70), Sharon Wight (HD 81), Stephanie Jo Yocum (HD 88), Timothy Murphy (SD 19), Natasha Baker (SD 22), Andrew Dale (SD 26), Byron Holland (SD 43) and Ethan Sweetland-May (SD 47).
Organizers said coalition candidates plan to share resources such as training, technology, joint events and information—an approach intended to reduce duplication and strengthen turnout in places they argue are often overlooked by traditional political infrastructure. The coalition’s stated priorities include high-quality public education, affordable and accessible healthcare, and living wages.
Indy Politics spoke with Stoner, Oliver and Gullion. The combined audio runs about 10 minutes.
