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IN Congressman stepping down

Congressman Dan Burton will not run for reelection in the 5th Congressional District.  He made his announcement on the floor of the Indiana House Tuesday. 

 

Burton has served in Congress since 1983, but earlier in his career he held seats in both the state House and Senate.  He says he wanted to announce his decision not to run again at the place where his political career began.

Looking back at his career, Burton says he’s been proud of his work as a legislator.

“I don’t think anybody who’s ever served in public life or been in business doesn’t have regrets, but you know, who was it that said, the baseball player, ‘I feel like I’m the luckiest man on the face of the earth’ – that’s the way I feel right now.”

Burton and his wife made the decision a few days ago and he made his announcement now with the upcoming elections in mind.

“And I wanted to do it far enough in advance of the filing date so that, if somebody else wanted to file – I know there’s only been a couple that have filed in this district – that they would have a chance to file and run.”

Burton says with his announcement he thinks more candidates will get into the Republican primary for his seat.  Currently running are former U.S. Attorney Susan Brooks, former Marion County Coroner John McGoff, former Congressman David McIntosh and attorney Jack Lugar.

Indiana's 5th District covers eleven counties and inlcudes Huntington, Carmel, Noblesville, and Shelbyville.

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.