Jim Lucas (politician)
Jim Lucas | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the 69th district | |
| Assumed office November 7, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Dave Cheatham |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Seymour, Indiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Lynn Lucas |
| Children | 3 |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  United States Marine Corps |
Jim Lucas is an American politician and businessman serving as a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the 69th district. He assumed office on November 7, 2012.
Early life and education
[edit]Lucas was born and raised in Seymour, Indiana. He graduated from Seymour High School.[1]
Career
[edit]Lucas served in the United States Marine Corps. Outside of politics, he operates TAG Graphics, a graphic design company, and the Awning Guy, a construction company. Running as a Republican, he was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in November 2012.[2] From 2015 to 2017, he served as vice chair of the House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee. During the 2019–2020 legislative session, he served as vice chair of the House Select Committee on Government Reduction.[3]
Controversies
[edit]Lucas has been the subject of numerous controversies over comments made on his social media accounts, causing some to call for his resignation, as well as the removal of his position on several committees.
Comments on rape and domestic violence
[edit]In June 2017, Lucas was caught in controversy for comments he made regarding rape victims, including claims that women who carried weapons had learned "how to not be victims," leading to accusations of victim blaming.[4] Earlier that year, he had been the subject of controversy for a meme which was perceived to be mocking domestic violence victims.[4]
Facebook posts about race and slavery
[edit]In August 2019, Lucas was caught in controversy after posting a photo of a noose under a photo of a black man convicted of rape.[5] Later, in May of 2020, Lucas was once again caught in controversy for posting a meme that was perceived to contain racist stereotypes of black children, leading to his removal from several study committees by House Speaker Todd Huston.[6] In March 2021, Lucas received criticism for comments made about slavery in a Facebook live video.[7][8]
Uvalde shooting
[edit]In June 2022, Lucas faced widespread backlash over a post on Facebook which suggested that the Robb Elementary School shooting was a false flag operation, with some comparing the comments Lucas made on the shooting to those made by alt-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.[9]
Quoting Joseph Goebbels
[edit]In August 2022, Lucas received more backlash after posting a quote attributed to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels on his Facebook account.[10] Lucas later followed up on the post and refused to issue an apology.[11]
DUI arrest
[edit]On May 31, 2023, Indiana State Police reported that Lucas was arrested after crashing his vehicle into a guard rail on the I-65 just north of Seymour around midnight. [12] Lucas had left the scene in the vehicle, driving the wrong way down an entrance ramp. He told officers he had swerved to avoid a deer. The ISP reported officers from the Seymour Police Department found the vehicle parked behind a business almost three miles from the crash site, having been driven there on two bare rims and a flat tire.[13] He was arrested by a trooper from the ISP-Versailles Post for driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident.[12] On June 12, 2023, Lucas agreed to enter a plea agreement pleading guilty to two misdemeanor charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident. He will serve a suspended sentence of 240 days for the two charges and serve one year on probation.[14]
Flashing gun at students
[edit]On January 30, 2024, Lucas was recorded by a student as having flashed a handgun at a group of Burris Laboratory School students who were visiting the Statehouse to urge state lawmakers to introduce laws aimed at curbing gun violence.[15] His actions faced criticism from Republican House Speaker Todd Huston as well as Democratic representatives Sue Errington and Phil GiaQuinta.[16]
Personal life
[edit]Lucas and his ex-wife, Lynn,[17] have three children.[18]
Electoral history
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim Lucas | 13,787 | 57.8% | ||
| Democratic | Jim McCormick | 10,070 | 42.2% | ||
| Turnout | 23,857 | ||||
| Republican gain from Democratic | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim Lucas (incumbent) | 12,200 | 100% | ||
| Turnout | 12,200 | ||||
| Republican hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim Lucas (incumbent) | 20,768 | 100% | ||
| Turnout | 20,768 | ||||
| Republican hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim Lucas (incumbent) | 14,604 | 69.2% | ||
| Democratic | Steve Schoettmer | 6,480 | 30.7% | ||
| Turnout | 21,084 | ||||
| Republican hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim Lucas (incumbent) | 18,784 | 67.3% | ||
| Democratic | Jeffery W. Prewitt | 4,924 | 17.6% | ||
| Independent | Katrina "Kat" Hardwick | 4,186 | 15.0% | ||
| Turnout | 27,894 | ||||
| Republican hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim Lucas (incumbent) | 12,526 | 73.7% | ||
| Democratic | Chad Harmon | 4,475 | 26.3% | ||
| Turnout | 17,001 | ||||
| Republican hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim Lucas (incumbent) | 4,584 | 57.5 | ||
| Republican | Brian Savilla | 3,390 | 42.5 | ||
| Total votes | 7,974 | 100.0 | |||
References
[edit]- ^ "Jim Lucas' Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
- ^ "Candidates File For Local Offices". Eagle Country 99.3. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
- ^ "Jim Lucas". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
- ^ a b "Indiana lawmaker under fire for "how not to be a victim" rape post". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
- ^ Sikich, Chris. "Indiana lawmaker accused of racism after posting nooses under photo of black man guilty of rape". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
- ^ "Senate Democrats condemn Rep. Jim Lucas' Facebook post as 'degrading and racist'". Fox 59. 2020-05-12. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
- ^ Lange, Kaitlin. "After Facebook exchange, surgeon accuses state lawmaker of making racist comments". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
- ^ Slisco, Aila (2021-03-29). "Indiana Rep. Jim Lucas under fire for slavery comments to Black surgeon was sanctioned for controversial meme". Newsweek. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
- ^ TheStatehouseFile.com, Jack Sells (23 June 2022). "Rep. Jim Lucas suggests Uvalde shooting could be false flag operation". The Statehouse File. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
- ^ Sandweiss, Ethan. "State Rep Jim Lucas quotes Nazi propagandist in Facebook photo". News - Indiana Public Media. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
- ^ Essex, Annie Johnston, Chris (17 August 2022). "Indiana lawmaker defends using Nazi propaganda statement on social media - here's what he said". WTHI-TV. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "Indiana Rep. Jim Lucas arrested Wednesday morning in Jackson County". wthr.com. May 31, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
- ^ Lucas accident report reveals more details, The Tribune (Seymour), Casey Smith, June 7, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ^ Hakim-Shabazz, Abdul (June 12, 2023). "Lucas Enters Plea Deal". Indy Politics.
- ^ "Student captures video of Indiana lawmaker flashing his gun: 'I genuinely felt very unsafe'". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-02-02.
- ^ Smith, Brandon (2024-02-01). "House Speaker Huston says Lucas shouldn't have flashed holstered gun at students". WFYI Public Media. Retrieved 2024-02-02.
- ^ Twitter beef raises specter of Lucas' 2020 divorce hearing—and questions about how politicians use social media, TheStatehouseFile.com, Jack Sells, November 4, 2022. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
- ^ "Jim Lucas | State of Indiana House of Representatives". www.indianahouserepublicans.com. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
- ^ "IN State House 069". ourcampaigns.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
- ^ "IN State House 069". ourcampaigns.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
- ^ "IN State House 069". ourcampaigns.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
- ^ "IN State House 069". ourcampaigns.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
- ^ "IN State House 069". ourcampaigns.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
- ^ "IN State House 069". ourcampaigns.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
- ^ https://enr.indianavoters.in.gov/site/index.html