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Healthcare
3.5
Economics
3.67
Candidate Name
Cynthia Wehr
District
State Senate District 17
Values
Grade
Values
Party
Democrat
Experience
Challenger
Grade
Democracy
3.67
Accessibility
4
Governance
4
Cost
Choice
3
X
Freedom
Voting
4
3
Community
4
A
Overall Grade
Education
3.33
Affordability
Equity
Opportunity
4
4
3
Environment
Public Safety
Inclusion
4
4
4
Stability
Funding
Belonging
4
3
3
Notable Information
Candidate Name
Candidate for:
State Senate District 17
Democrat
Challenger
Notable Information
MADVoters Survey Responses
Healthcare: The Big Beautiful Bill is projected to cut $31 billion from Indiana’s Medicaid funding, including almost $13 billion in hospital funding, over the next decade. What will you do if elected to ensure healthcare affordability and access given these changes? (Source: Indiana Hospital Association)
As a retired registered nurse, I am appalled at the drastic cuts to Medicaid and hospital funding. Corporate owned hospitals are already having to operate with reduced staff, cuts in inventory costs, and the closing of specialty units so they can show their stockholders a profit. Rural hospitals are closing their birthing units, creating OB care deserts in rural areas. People not seeking care many times until it is too late, because they cannot find a way to the hospital or they do not have the money.
I would submit the evidence that will be compiled for the last 6 months of 2026 in this coming budget session of 2027. There will be an increase in morbid cases, an increase in patient noncompliance due to hardship and inability to pay, an increase in troubled pregnancies not being monitored, an increase in maternal and infant mortality, and the unsustainable lack of hospital funding at the foundation, affecting healthcare for all Hoosiers.
How can lawmakers deny facts? Once again, the corporations get the breaks, while rural hospitals close, while working families struggle day in and day out. Vote them out!
Economics: AI and data centers are having a huge impact on jobs and communities across the nation, particularly in Indiana. What is Congress’s role in addressing this developing technology? What action will you take to hear and represent the concerns of Hoosiers on this topic?
Economics: Dozens of AI data centers are planning to come to Indiana, drawn by the state’s “business-friendly” reputation. How should Indiana manage these large industrial site proposals and their potential impact on communities? (Source: Citizens Action Coalition)
No data center should be considered, let alone approved, without full disclosure and complete community input. Complete transparency and access to permit applications should be made public along with any discussions by county zoning and drainage boards, and the County Commissioners. Public discussions and input should be an integral component to any project of this magnitude.
My biggest concern for any Indiana community is the environmental impact. We already are on the bottom for water and air quality. What happens when the aquifers are further contaminated? What happens when hundreds of mature woodlands are destroyed to our air quality?
This year Gov. Braun signed Bill 277. It changed former mandatory environmental protections to “discretionary” actions. State regulators can ignore our complaints of poor air and water quality. As a State Senator I will listen to any concerns brought to my attention.
These hyper-scale data centers will have disastrous impact on Hoosiers communities and our ecosystems. Increased drainage of our wetlands is already taking place and I believe the vast amounts of water to cool them is beyond our comprehension. Communities will dry up, The farming will cease to exist. Health conditions will be exacerbated and thousands of wildlife species will become extinct.
Education: Describe your stance on the Department of Education and its role in education administration, funding, and protections for students with disabilities.
Education: Since 2012, Indiana has spent over $5.5 billion in taxpayer dollars on charter schools and the private school voucher program. If elected, would you support or oppose the use of taxpayer dollars to funding private schools and charter schools? Why or why not? (Source: ICPE)
Public Education, our last great resource is being defunded. Our own Lt. Governor has literally declared war on Public Education. I will oppose the continued use of taxpayer dollars to fund these programs.
There is no oversight on these monies once they are distributed. The funds can go anywhere, be used for anything, with no accountability to the taxpayers. Private and charters do not have to operate by the same standards that public schools do. Public schools must provide special needs teachers or testing to these schools, without reimbursement. Students accepted to charter and private schools receive that money for the students based on the “count” days in September and February. The student can be expelled or asked to leave the day after, the public schools has to enroll them, but the money does not follow that student. The public school already operating on less money has to absorb the additional cost of the student.
The funding for public schools does not include any money for upkeep and repair of facilities, no money for administration, and less money for teachers.
1.3 Billion dollars will go to private schools making vouchers universal. That means there is NO LIMIT on the family income for a student to qualify for voucher money.
I am beginning to suspect Indiana may not have a funding problem, it may have an allocation problem!
Democracy: In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge or threat facing our democracy right now? If elected, what will you do to help overcome this challenge or threat?
The manipulations and stripping away of our voting rights.
Each state controls their elections through the office of the Secretary of State. When elected, I would demand the complete transparency of suspected corruption and discrimination in that office. I would fight any attempt to further redistrict our already gerrymandered districts, splitting voters in the same community. With the gutting of the 14th Amendment, free, fair and safe elections must be as valued as the first amendment.
To weaken the value of one vote will destroy “We the People”.
Community: Describe your stance on ICE and its role in immigration enforcement and detention.
Community: What role or responsibility do local and state governments have with regards to immigration enforcement?
It is incumbent upon states and local governments to serve and protect the residents of their communities. Hoosiers count on those in civil service and law enforcement to keep them safe, to come to their defense. When higher government orders an invasion of untrained, fully masked, fully armed combatants, seeking to remove them without warrants or verification of their identification and citizenship, and use lethal force, state and local officials should be able to refuse access.
Our SCOTUS has given power back to the states on other issues, why is it not there responsibility for this?