Jim Lucas (politician)

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.

Jim Lucas
Member of the Indiana House of Representatives
from the 69th district
Assumed office
November 7, 2012
Preceded byDave Cheatham
Personal details
BornSeymour, Indiana, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseLynn Lucas
Children3
Military service
Branch/service United States Marine Corps

Early life and education

Lucas was born and raised in Seymour, Indiana. He graduated from Seymour High School.[1]

Career

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

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

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

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

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

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

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]

Personal life

Lucas and his ex-wife, Lynn,[15] have three children.[16]

Electoral history
Indiana House of Representatives, District 69, 2012 [17]
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
Indiana House of Representatives, District 69, 2014 [18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jim Lucas (incumbent) 12,200 100%
Turnout 12,200
Republican hold Swing
Indiana House of Representatives, District 69, 2016 [19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jim Lucas (incumbent) 20,768 100%
Turnout 20,768
Republican hold Swing
Indiana House of Representatives, District 69, 2018 [20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jim Lucas (incumbent) 14,604 69.2%
Democratic Steve Schoettmer 6,480 30.7%
Turnout 21,084
Republican hold Swing
Indiana House of Representatives, District 69, 2020 [21]
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
Indiana House of Representatives, District 69, 2022 [22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jim Lucas (incumbent) 12,526 73.7%
Democratic Chad Harmon 4,475 26.3%
Turnout 17,001
Republican hold Swing

References
  1. "Jim Lucas' Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
  2. "Candidates File For Local Offices". Eagle Country 99.3. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
  3. "Jim Lucas". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
  4. "Indiana lawmaker under fire for "how not to be a victim" rape post". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  5. 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.
  6. "Senate Democrats condemn Rep. Jim Lucas' Facebook post as 'degrading and racist'". Fox 59. 2020-05-12. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  7. Lange, Kaitlin. "After Facebook exchange, surgeon accuses state lawmaker of making racist comments". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. Sandweiss, Ethan. "State Rep Jim Lucas quotes Nazi propagandist in Facebook photo". News - Indiana Public Media. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  11. 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)
  12. "Indiana Rep. Jim Lucas arrested Wednesday morning in Jackson County". wthr.com. May 31, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  13. Lucas accident report reveals more details, The Tribune (Seymour), Casey Smith, June 7, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  14. Hakim-Shabazz, Abdul (June 12, 2023). "Lucas Enters Plea Deal". Indy Politics.
  15. 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.
  16. "Jim Lucas | State of Indiana House of Representatives". www.indianahouserepublicans.com. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
  17. "IN State House 069". ourcampaigns.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  18. "IN State House 069". ourcampaigns.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  19. "IN State House 069". ourcampaigns.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
  20. "IN State House 069". ourcampaigns.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  21. "IN State House 069". ourcampaigns.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  22. "IN State House 069". ourcampaigns.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
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