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Jonathan "Jon" Robert Elrod (born May 3, 1977) is a member of the Indiana House of Representatives for Indiana House District 97. He was elected in 2006.

The 97th District encompasses the immediate downtown area of Indianapolis and stretches South to include portions of Beech Grove and Perry Township of Marion County, Indiana.

He is currently the Republican candidate in the Indiana's 7th congressional district special election.

Early years

Jon Elrod grew up on the Southside of Indianapolis and graduated from Franklin Central High School in 1995. His undergraduate studies were at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. He majored in History, minored in Performance Studies (Theater), and was president of the Rugby Football Club. In 1999 he received his B.A., magna cum laude.

Following college, Jon studied law at Indiana University School of Law - Bloomington. He was on the editorial staff of the Indiana Law Journal and studied overseas in conjunction with the University of London, School of Advanced Legal Studies. He received his J.D. cum laude in 2002.

Entrance into politics

Jon entered politics to run for the Center Township Board in 2004. He ran on a platform to streamline local government due to the large disparity between actual funding for poor relief and the overhead operating costs of the Center Township Trustee's Office. At the time, the Indianapolis Star reported in a February 1, 2004 article citing an Indiana Chamber of Commerce Report that the Center Township Trustee spent $2.35 for every $1.00 of poor relief provided.

Jon ran a strong grassroots campaign for an office that he admits very few people knew existed. He won a close race in the predominantly Democratic district by 35 votes. The next session, several lawmakers introduced bills to eliminate township government in the state altogether. The failure of such bills led Elrod to declare his candidacy for the Indiana State House of Representatives in District 97.

Campaign for the State House

In 2006, Elrod filed his candidacy for House District 97. He defeated Ed Mahern, a ten-year incumbent who drew the legislative districts, but cites his aggressive grassroots campaign as the key to victory. On Election night, his race was named too close to call and resulted in a subsequent recount that was decided in his favor by 8 votes.

Elrod knocked on nearly 6000 doors and gained a reputation for his personal correspondence with voters in what many called an underdog victory.

Campaign for U.S. Congress

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Elrod declared his candidacy for Indiana's 7th Congressional District on November 15, 2007 which, at the time, was held by Julia Carson. At the press conference, Elrod shared his anger at what he felt was a continued lack of urgency from the Indiana State House of Representatives in addressing the growing public outcry over pressing issues like a recent property tax increase in the state. He stated that, "the Indiana General Assembly was once maligned as the ‘worse deliberative body in the country,’ is at a historic threshold. For the first time in a generation, perhaps two generations, the legislature is poised to pass sweeping bipartisan reforms of local government, spending, and property taxes."

He went on to add, "I recognize the potential of this legislature, and I am excited about the tasks before us this session. When the gavel falls for the last time this winter, I will have experienced great achievement or great disappointment. Indiana will have marched toward fairness and efficiency, or stumbled down the same path of political expediency and special interests."

Elrod said that as someone who never desired to seek higher office the thought of Congress seemed absurd. Especially as a Republican from Center Township. However, he relayed that now more than ever, a need for change motivated him to step forward and announce his candidacy for U.S. Congress.

He cited partisanship, influence-peddling, and wedge issues as the reason for sagging Congressional approval ratings. Elrod then shared, "it is abundantly clear which legislature deserves the title of ‘worst deliberate body in the country.’"

Elrod told media sources he plans on running a campaign to reform Congress while still focusing on local neighborhoods.

With the December 15th death of Carson. Elrod moved up his campaign from the November 2008 general election to the March 2008 special election. He won the Republican primary and is expected to face Carson's grandson, city councilman Andre Carson in March.

External links

• Jon Elrod's campaign site
• Jon Elrod's House site

References

1. Township system is criticized in study - Marion County office spent $2.35 to deliver each dollar of aid to the poor, results show. Indianapolis Star, The (IN) February 1, 2004 Author: KEVIN CORCORAN AND JOHN FRITZE
2. http://www2.indygov.org/elections/Gen2004/SummaryReport.html
3. Elrod certified winner by 8 votes over Rep. Mahern Indianapolis Star, The (IN) December 16, 2006 Author: CORDELL EDDINGS
4. A look back at the best and worst of 2006 politics Indianapolis Star, The (IN) December 31, 2006 Author: Matthew Tully
5. November 15, 2007 Announcement speech

• Misplaced Pages neutral point of view disputes from January 2008
• 1977 births
• Living people
• Members of the Indiana House of Representatives