A Democrat has emerged to challenge Republican Representative Rudy Yakym in next year’s election. She’s Jamee Decio, daughter of the late Art Decio. I spoke with her today.
Decio announced her campaign today on the St. Joseph Democratic Party’s Facebook page. The 66-year-old Elkhart native says she earned a law degree from Notre Dame and practiced law in Elkhart, including a stint as a deputy prosecutor, before moving to Los Angeles in her 30s to become a screenwriter.
Along the way she says he adopted a boy from the foster care system. She says she moved back to Elkhart in April to run for Congress against Yakym.
She says her top issues are affordability, prioritizing local industry, and protecting Democracy. She’ll also go hard against President Trump, and says she doesn’t worry that will hurt her because he’s too popular in the district.
”I think the people know exactly who he is now. Every day he shows who he is and from people that I talk to, they’re not very happy, Republicans.”
She says evidence of that could be seen Friday when Indiana Senate Republicans rejected Trump and Governor Mike Braun’s call for a special session to redraw the state’s congressional district lines.
"It's the right thing for them to do because if someone voted for them and wants them out, they should be able to vote them out. If they think they're doing their job, they'll keep them in. That's the way it works. And I think to stand up to him is the best thing they can do, for themselves, and our state."
