Republican Party precinct committee members will be meeting in Ripley County July 17 to fill the Statehouse vacancy in District 67 (photo by Noelle Maxwell)
By Noelle Maxwell
The Indiana Citizen
July 7, 2023
Republican leaders are moving forward with the process of finding a replacement for Rep. Randy Frye who is retiring from the Indiana House of Representatives July 8.
Frye, first elected to the Indiana General Assembly in 2010, announced his retirement June 26. Since he is stepping down mid-term, the GOP is convening a caucus July 17 to pick the individual who will represent House District through 2024. Party officials are inviting anyone interested in running in the caucus to contact the secretary of the Indiana Republican Party to file the proper forms.
When a state legislator leaves the Statehouse before an election cycle, state law allows the empty seat to be filled by the legislator’s party. Here, a caucus composed of eligible precinct committee members from the Republican Party will determine who will fill the seat. Precinct committee members are district-level officials elected during presidential election year primaries.
Indiana Republican Party chair Kyle Hupfer called a caucus in District 67 which covers Jennings, Jefferson and Ripley Counties and extends into southern Decatur County to the towns of Millhousen and Westport. The caucus will be held at the Ripley County courthouse annex, 6 p.m. July 17.
Those interested in running in the caucus must contact Indiana Republican Party secretary Mary Martin within 72 hours of the caucus date.
Frye served as a firefighter for the Indianapolis Fire Department for 26 years before becoming a state legislator. He cited his personal health as his reason for stepping down mid-term.
“Over the last few years, I’ve been dealing with multiple health issues, and it’s time to focus on my wellbeing and my family,” Frye said in a statement. “It has been the honor of my lifetime to represent the hardworking Hoosiers of House District 67.”
In the Statehouse, he chaired the House Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee. Last month, Frye was named Legislator of the Year by the Disabled American Veterans. He was recognized for authoring new laws that provided tax relief to active duty military members and established a second Indiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery in the state.
House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, praised Frye’s work in the General Assembly.
“Randy spent his legislative career as a strong advocate for all Hoosiers who serve or served our state or nation in uniform. Whether that’s standing up for the men and women in the fire service, law enforcement or military, he understood their needs and worked hard to find solutions on their behalf,” Huston said in a statement. “I wish him well in retirement.”
Those residing in District 67 can contact statehouse offices or go online to in.gov/h67 if they need state representative services until a new representative is selected.
Noelle Maxwell is a freelance journalist based in southeastern Indiana. She writes about local government and community affairs.
