Mills announces run for Indiana House District 54

Nov. 1—MIDDLETOWN — Betsy Mills of rural Middletown has filed to establish an exploratory committee signaling her intent to represent citizens in Henry and Rush counties and small portions of Shelby and Hancock counties as the Representative for Indiana's House District 54.

"I am excited to join the ranks of great leaders our region has sent to Indianapolis, and I am prepared to advocate for strong Republican values like limited government and economic opportunities in the cities, towns, and rural areas of our district," Mills said.

Mills decided to run after long-serving Representative Tom Saunders announced that he will be retiring at the end of his current term.

"I'd like to sincerely thank Representative Saunders for his many decades of public service in Henry County and East Central Indiana," Mills said. "Tom has always fought hard for his constituents, and I hope to emulate him in that way."

Mills currently serves as an at-large member of the Henry County Council. For the council, she sits on the New Castle/Henry County Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors and the Henry County Job Classification Committee, and she serves as liaison to the county's coroner's and treasurer's offices.

Mills joined the county council in January 2020 when she won the caucus to fill the seat of long-serving councilmember Mike Thalls. Along with fellow incumbents Harold Griffin and Clay Morgan, Mills held onto that seat during the crowded 2020 election.

"COVID-19 hit three months after I first joined the county council," Mills said. "It has been both an honor and a quick education to be serving in county government during this unpredictable health and economic crisis. I am grateful to have worked alongside passionate and creative colleagues who are committed to pulling our communities through these tough times."

Mills also serves as vice chair of the Henry County Republican Party Central Committee, a team she first joined as secretary in 2018. And she represents the district on many statewide community and Republican organizations, such as the Lugar Series Board of Governors; the America's Future Foundation, Indianapolis Board; and the Indiana Young Republicans, for which she was recently elected vice chair.

"My priorities for our district are straightforward. I want us to play to our strengths and continue to build in areas that will shine a light on our region," Mills said. "I will work to support agriculture and manufacturing, expand rural broadband, advocate for education, and balance our state budgets."

Mills said that she is committed to economic development and improving opportunities for businesses and families in the 54th house district.

"I want more people to realize that Indiana is the best state to do business and the best place in America to raise a family," Mills said.

Mills was born and raised in Henry County on her family's 20-acre farm, where she lives to this day. She attended Shenandoah School Corporation from kindergarten until her high school graduation in 2004. She was then accepted to Ball State University on a full-ride scholarship for leadership, earning a bachelor's degree with honors in 2008. As a student, she was heavily involved in university governance and was elected to serve as president of the approximately 20,000-member student body during her senior year. She went on to earn a Master's in Communications from Ball State in 2010.

Mills continues to proudly serve her Cardinal community as president of the Ball State Young Alumni Council, president of the Ball State Communication Studies Alumni Society Board, and vice chair of the College of Communication, Information, and Media's Alumni Council.

"As a young person with the training and education I received in East Central Indiana, I am excited to take our local values and priorities to the state level," Mills said.

Since 2010, Mills has worked for Penn State, currently in the role of assistant teaching professor in the Department of Communication Arts and Sciences. She offers classes in public speaking, group communication and rhetorical analysis. Mills taught on-campus for seven years before transitioning in 2017 to teaching remotely through the university's World Campus while living in Henry County.

Current and future constituents who would like to contact Mills about her campaign can find her online at "facebook.com/BetsyforIndiana" or "betsymills@gmail.com."

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