Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
The race for Indiana's Third District Congressional seat pits three-term incumbent Democrat Tim Roemer against Republican Dan Holt.
Tim Roemer
Roemer is a South Bend native and graduate of Penn High School in Mishawaka. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California at San Diego in 1979, a master's degree in international affairs from Notre Dame in 1981 and his doctorate in 1985.
Roemer had a brief stint teaching at the American University in Washington, D.C., and served as an aide in the U.S. Senate.
He defeated five-term Republican incumbent John Hiler in 1990.
Roemer stresses his role as a "New Democrat," advocating a fiscally responsible government that is small and less bureaucratic, yet still responds compassionately to the problems of the 21st century.
Roemer is a strong advocate for children, founding the Congressional Children's Working Group in 1991. Some programs he has helped support with increased funding include Women, Infants and Children (WIC), childhood immunizations, child care and Head Start.
He also led the effort to have the Federal Trade Commission ban the "Joe Camel" cigarette advertising because it targeted children to begin smoking.
Roemer also proclaims his fiscal conservatism, citing his support for the balanced budget amendment and the line-item veto. He has also fought waste and inefficiency in government, as evidenced by leading the fight against the $3 billion advanced solid rocket motor program and working to eliminate the multi-billion dollar space station.
Roemer has even returned $815,000 to the U.S. Treasury from his own office budget.
Finally, education is a high priority for Roemer and he has worked to make education more affordable by supporting increases in the Pell Grant and providing additional funding for adult literacy education.
Dan Holtz
Holtz is running on the issues of integrity in public service, cutting taxes, reducing spending, returning control of education to parents and local school boards and ensuring safe streets and neighborhoods.
He says career politicians who live in Washington, D.C., cannot truly represent the constituents in Indiana's Third District. He cites his experience of living and working in northern Indiana as his key qualification for office, and his desire to restore honesty and integrity in American government as a key qualification.
Holtz is a native of Elkhart and a graduate of Indiana University, with a bachelor's degree in economics and mathematics; a master's degree in public administration and public policy from the London School of Economics, and a master's of business administration degree from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, specializing in accounting and finance.
Holtz is a registered investment executive with Roney & Company, specializing in pension and retirement services for small businesses. He also served as a policy adviser and fiscal analyst for the Indiana House Ways and Means Committee.
