Frankfort Mayor Chris McBarnes says he’ll consider running for Indiana’s 4th District congressional seat if incumbent Todd Rokita wins the Republican nod to replace Governor Mike Pence on the ballot.
McBarnes, who’s just a couple years older than the 25-year-old minimum to run for the U.S. House, says he’s discussed the possibility with his wife, but adds he’d have to decide whether he could make more change in Congress than he can in Clinton County.
"I can make large things happen [as mayor," McBarnes says. "So I would also have to ask myself much more more influence could I really have as a freshman congressman sitting in the back row of the U.S. House of Representatives."
McBarnes does allow that he’d rather both of the Reps running for the job – Rokita and Susan Brooks (R-5th) – stay in Congress and let Lieutenant Governor Eric Holcomb win the nomination.
State Senator Ron Alting (R-Lafayette) has also signaled an interest in the seat if Rokita is not running for it.