State Rep. Culver Seeks Congressional Seat
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
Culver, 52, (R-Goshen) visited the Times-Union Thursday morning to discuss his run for the seat.
Culver is seeking the seat that was vacated by Congressman Mark Souder who resigned last Friday because of an affair.[[In-content Ad]]Republican officials said a caucus is likely to be conducted June 12.
A special election will be held to select a replacement for Souder, but the date of the election has not yet been determined. Governor Mitch Daniels will set a date for the special election.
Culver is the state representative for District 49 that covers Goshen, Bristol and Middlebury and was elected in 2008.
"I have a passion and concern for America and I think I can help our country's current situation," Culver said.
He said he feels his business background would serve him well as congressman.
Culver is a major partner in six Prudential Real Estate offices throughout the Michiana area. In addition, he owns several companies dealing in real estate, home construction, property management, security systems, a small factory and bed and breakfast.
"The American people are looking for solutions and they are tired of the rhetoric and want a fiscal conservative in office and I can bring that," Culver said.
"The number one thing I think is on people's minds is the fiscal situation and I have vast business experience," Culver said.
He said money is being spent that the government does not have and it is borrowing money from other countries.
"What that is going to result in is higher taxes and our standard of living will go down, and we need to live within our means," Culver said.
He describes himself as an idea-and-solutions person.
He founded Legacy Child, which financially assists families who want to adopt by linking them with families who make financial donations in memory of a lost loved one to the adopting family.
In serving as a state representative he helped create the Indiana 500 Tour where the state will have a 500-mile route to bring tourists to the state. He said there were no government tax dollars used for the program.
Culver addressed the topic of the orthopedic industry and said the 3rd district is blessed to have the industry. He said if he is elected as congressman he will fight to help the industry to continue to thrive.
"Some of the recent legislation that was passed put a tax on the orthopedic industry, and I feel government is too big the way it is and we need to not support additional taxes on the orthopedic industry," Culver said.
Culver talked about job creation and said to create jobs there needs to be less burden on employers and there should not be regulations and restrictions added to employers.
"When we limit restrictions we have employers who will have more money to put in research and development, and smaller government helps our economy," Culver said.
Culver grew up in Middlebury working at the family business, Culver Duck. He graduated from Northridge High School in 1975 and later obtained a business administration degree. He left the family business to accept an invitation to become an associate pastor at age 24 and began selling real estate at age 29.
He and his wife, Val, have a son, Craig, and two daughters, Chelsea and Cydney.
Two other Republicans announced their intentions Tuesday to seek their party's nominations for the congressional seat.
Bob Thomas, (R-Fort Wayne) and runner-up in the May 4 GOP primary, and Fort Wayne TV anchor Ryan Elijah announced they would seek the seat. Fort Wayne resident Mike Foster announced Wednesday he will seek the seat.
Other Republicans who have stated their intentions to fill the seat are state Sen. Marlin Stutzman (R-Howe); state Rep. Randy Borror; Liz Brown, Fort Wayne city councilwoman; Greg Dickman (R-Auburn) and Phil Troyer (R-Fort Wayne).
Tom Metzger, Warsaw, is running as an independent write-in candidate. Metzger has led the Ku Klux Klan and founded his own white supremacist group.
Other candidates are former Allen County sheriff's candidate Mike Foster and Lonnie Powell, volunteer director of a recovery ministry sponsored by The Chapel.
Culver, 52, (R-Goshen) visited the Times-Union Thursday morning to discuss his run for the seat.
Culver is seeking the seat that was vacated by Congressman Mark Souder who resigned last Friday because of an affair.[[In-content Ad]]Republican officials said a caucus is likely to be conducted June 12.
A special election will be held to select a replacement for Souder, but the date of the election has not yet been determined. Governor Mitch Daniels will set a date for the special election.
Culver is the state representative for District 49 that covers Goshen, Bristol and Middlebury and was elected in 2008.
"I have a passion and concern for America and I think I can help our country's current situation," Culver said.
He said he feels his business background would serve him well as congressman.
Culver is a major partner in six Prudential Real Estate offices throughout the Michiana area. In addition, he owns several companies dealing in real estate, home construction, property management, security systems, a small factory and bed and breakfast.
"The American people are looking for solutions and they are tired of the rhetoric and want a fiscal conservative in office and I can bring that," Culver said.
"The number one thing I think is on people's minds is the fiscal situation and I have vast business experience," Culver said.
He said money is being spent that the government does not have and it is borrowing money from other countries.
"What that is going to result in is higher taxes and our standard of living will go down, and we need to live within our means," Culver said.
He describes himself as an idea-and-solutions person.
He founded Legacy Child, which financially assists families who want to adopt by linking them with families who make financial donations in memory of a lost loved one to the adopting family.
In serving as a state representative he helped create the Indiana 500 Tour where the state will have a 500-mile route to bring tourists to the state. He said there were no government tax dollars used for the program.
Culver addressed the topic of the orthopedic industry and said the 3rd district is blessed to have the industry. He said if he is elected as congressman he will fight to help the industry to continue to thrive.
"Some of the recent legislation that was passed put a tax on the orthopedic industry, and I feel government is too big the way it is and we need to not support additional taxes on the orthopedic industry," Culver said.
Culver talked about job creation and said to create jobs there needs to be less burden on employers and there should not be regulations and restrictions added to employers.
"When we limit restrictions we have employers who will have more money to put in research and development, and smaller government helps our economy," Culver said.
Culver grew up in Middlebury working at the family business, Culver Duck. He graduated from Northridge High School in 1975 and later obtained a business administration degree. He left the family business to accept an invitation to become an associate pastor at age 24 and began selling real estate at age 29.
He and his wife, Val, have a son, Craig, and two daughters, Chelsea and Cydney.
Two other Republicans announced their intentions Tuesday to seek their party's nominations for the congressional seat.
Bob Thomas, (R-Fort Wayne) and runner-up in the May 4 GOP primary, and Fort Wayne TV anchor Ryan Elijah announced they would seek the seat. Fort Wayne resident Mike Foster announced Wednesday he will seek the seat.
Other Republicans who have stated their intentions to fill the seat are state Sen. Marlin Stutzman (R-Howe); state Rep. Randy Borror; Liz Brown, Fort Wayne city councilwoman; Greg Dickman (R-Auburn) and Phil Troyer (R-Fort Wayne).
Tom Metzger, Warsaw, is running as an independent write-in candidate. Metzger has led the Ku Klux Klan and founded his own white supremacist group.
Other candidates are former Allen County sheriff's candidate Mike Foster and Lonnie Powell, volunteer director of a recovery ministry sponsored by The Chapel.
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