Debora Porter

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Debora Porter

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 3, 2020

Education

High school

Wheeler HIgh School

Bachelor's

Valparaiso University

Graduate

Indiana University

Personal

Birthplace

Gary, Ind.

Religion

Christian

Profession

Teacher

Contact

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Instagram

Campaign YouTube

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Debora Porter (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Indiana House of Representatives to represent District 4. She lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Porter completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Debora Porter was born in Gary, Indiana. Growing up in Indiana, Porter graduated from Wheeler High School in Wheeler, Indiana. She earned a bachelor's degree in music education from Valparaiso University in 1981 and a master's degree in music technology from Indiana University in 2008. Porter's career experience includes working as an elementary music specialist. Porter's professional credentials include an Integrated Arts Specialist certification and a Diversity and Inclusion certification.

Porter has been affiliated with the following organizations:

• Indiana Music Educators Association, member
• Indiana State Teachers Association, member
• National Association for Music Education, member
• National Education Association, member

Elections

2020

See also: Indiana House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Indiana House of Representatives District 4

Incumbent Edmond Soliday defeated Debora Porter in the general election for Indiana House of Representatives District 4 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Edmond Soliday (R)	54.6	20,072
		Debora Porter (D)	45.4	16,704

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 36,776
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Indiana House of Representatives District 4

Debora Porter defeated Ben Blohm in the Democratic primary for Indiana House of Representatives District 4 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Debora Porter	72.7	5,974
		Ben Blohm	27.3	2,243

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 8,217
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Indiana House of Representatives District 4

Incumbent Edmond Soliday defeated Sara Blohm in the Republican primary for Indiana House of Representatives District 4 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Edmond Soliday	63.0	3,780
		Sara Blohm	37.0	2,216

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,996
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2014

See also: Indiana House of Representatives elections, 2014

Elections for the Indiana House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 6, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 7, 2014. Debora "Deb" Porter ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, while incumbent Ed Soliday was unopposed in the Republican primary. Soliday defeated Porter in the general election.

Indiana House of Representatives 4, General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Ed Soliday Incumbent	55.5%	9,885
	Democratic	Debora "Deb" Porter	44.5%	7,934
Total Votes				17,819

2012

See also: Indiana State Senate elections, 2012

Porter ran in the 2012 election for Indiana State Senate District 5. She ran unopposed in the May 8 Democratic primary and was defeated by incumbent Ed Charbonneau (R) in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.

Indiana State Senate, District 5, General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Debora Porter	45.2%	24,766
	Republican	Ed Charbonneau Incumbent	54.8%	30,039
Total Votes				54,805

Endorsements

Porter was endorsed by the Indiana State AFL-CIO on April 18, 2012.

Campaign themes

2020

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released April 1, 2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Debora Porter completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Porter's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a career public school teacher, a wife, mother, grandmother, union activist and civic leader. As a public school teacher I have witnessed the effects inadequate resources have had on helping every child achieve their educational potential. I have seen the negative effect poverty has on child development and mental health and the extra strain that puts on public school resources. In my service as City Councilperson I had to make hard choices locally because of legislative decisions in Indianapolis. In my volunteer work for Hilltop Neighborhood House I have seen how providing affordable child care can lift a family out of poverty and put them on the path of financial stability. I have the experience and skills to bring the needs and concerns of the residents of this district to Indianapolis in an effort to obtain funding and solutions necessary to improve our quality of life.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• My experience as a teacher means you will have a representative with insider knowledge of how education funding works, not just someone who knows about education.
• I have lived a life of service and have always looked for ways to help others. We need a representative who can focus on improving the quality of life in Indiana and the 4th district.
• It's time for a candidate who understands how issues impact women and families in the fourth district.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am personally passionate about funding for public education, a greener Indiana and environmental issues, access to healthcare and affordable prescription drugs, and raising the minimum wage .

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The principles that are most important for an elected official in my opinion are honesty, humility and service. Honesty is the foundation because without honesty there is no basis for trust and therefore no way to build a relationship. Humility is important because in the capacity as an elected official one will not be able to please everyone. Making mistakes is normal, it is the human condition. Humility gives one the ability to recognize that they have tried their best, fallen short and will do better. Humility reminds one that they can be replaced and they are not there by virtue of any entitlement. Finally, service is important because an elected official is first and foremost a servant of the people who they represent in that capacity. As a servant, you are responsible for hearing their problems and frustrations, doing whatever you can in your capacity to help them and working for everyone in your district - even the people who didn't vote for you!

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I believe that I will be a successful officeholder because I have a strong sense of doing the right thing, I am compelled to be an advocate for those whose voice is diminished, and I feel very strongly that everyone should be treated fairly, with kindness and respect. These qualities mean that I will be a voice and defender for the constituents who have been marginalized or overlooked as well as for those who have power and influence. It means that everyone who comes to me seeking relief or answers will be given the time and respect they deserve and not dismissed out of hand as someone who is just looking for a handout or an easy answer.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first "real" job was working as a waitress in a restaurant. It was open 24 hours and I usually worked the evening shift or overnight shift. I had that job from my Junior year in High school through my sophomore year in college, 4 years. I enjoyed that job a lot, I worked with great co-workers from different backgrounds who shared their stories and struggles with me. I built up relationships with our regular customers many of whom stopped by daily for a cup of coffee on the way to or from work. This was also where I learned about sexual harassment, both by customers who had been drinking and couldn't keep their hands to themselves and by a certain manager who felt empowered to use his position and ability to "give us the good shifts" on the schedule. Because I knew that I was working in this job for a while, so I could earn the money I needed to continue my college career, I had options. But I felt badly for the other women I worked with who felt this was the best job they could get. This was my first job in the real world and while it wasn't life-changing, it was certainly formative.

What is your favorite book? Why?

As an avid reader since childhood, it is hard to narrow down to one book. But my all time favorite book is Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle. This is my favorite book for a variety of reasons. First, it was the first book I read that had a strong, smart female character. Second, it was the first book I read that I realized had a deeper meaning to it. Third, it had a strong sense of love for family and sacrificial love. Fourth, it has this ability to transcend our world and move into a world that is very different, yet similar. Finally, the ending, where love wins is absolutely a perfect ending. The main character's transformation from the beginning to the end was what stuck with me, she started out as an awkward, social misfit, insecure and frightened young girl on the brink of discovering adulthood and ended as a young lady who saved her family and her world against an unimaginable evil with the help of her spiritual gurus. I really connected with the main character then, and to some extent still do.

Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?

The House is responsible for creating the budget, it has direct oversight on how money is spent. The Senate is responsible for approving the budget that the House creates, it can also amend the budget. Another difference is that the House is more representative of the people in the state, bringing the needs and concerns from them up to the legislative body. The Senate is a little more focused on a top-down approach, more closely aligned with the executive branch to bring forward legislative goals from the top.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I do believe it is beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience interacting directly with government agencies - how budgets work, how state funded agencies operate, and so on. But I do not believe it is necessary, or a pre-qualifier. I think it is more beneficial to have legislators who are focused on doing the job of representing the constituents and acting in their best interest and moving the state forward instead of focusing on their career as a legislator.

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

Over the next decade we need to address the changing economy of the state from a manufacturing heavy economy to a service and technical economy. We need to focus on career education that helps students prepare for jobs in emerging technology fields instead of manufacturing. We also need to change our conservative narrative against all things related to climate change and embrace a greener economy and way of life to improve our environment.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?

It needs to be a relationship of checks and balances - there has to be some push-backs and some areas of common ground. The three need to work together for the good of the state and the people who live here. While recognizing that there may be different ways to achieve the same goals, there must be ongoing dialog and give and take so the best options can be put forward.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

It is absolutely necessary to build relationships with other legislators on both sides of the aisle. No legislator can achieve any goal on his or her own. A party that achieves their goals without involving the other party is open to accusations of not caring about the other half of the people in the state. Government works best when everyone has input and their voice is valued as decisions are made about how to move forward. In building relationships we find that our differences are not as formidable as we thought and there is more common ground than we imagined. When we recognize those two things we have built the basis for working together to make good decisions for all people in our state.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

I would love to be part of the Education Committee, Employment, Labor and Pensions Committee, or the Environment Committee. While those are my top picks, I would willingly serve any committee.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

One legislator who comes to mind is the late Senator Birch Bayh. He was a legislator who understood the importance of building relationships with other legislators, not matter what party, and working together to form coalitions. He also worked tirelessly to improve the lives of many less-fortunate constituents, by creating free and reduced lunch program.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Most likely not.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I am continually touched by the number of people who are working but cannot seem to get ahead because they cannot make a living wage at their job. Someone who is working 25 hours a week at $10.00 an hour is not making a living wage and cannot work more hours at that job because then they would have to be offered benefits. This is a trap into poverty from which there is no escape. The other type of story that is a recurring theme is the number of people whose stable life has been upended because of an illness or injury that ran them into bankruptcy or massive medical debt. Some of them even had medical insurance, but the coverage was so minimal that it did not help them at all.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2014

Porter's website highlighted the following campaign themes:

“

A strong, fully-funded public education pre-K through age 21 is necessary for our students to be prepared for their future. We need public schools that help every student achieve his or her potential and have the necessary background knowledge to apply skills to be successful in future job opportunities and technical training as part of a comprehensive approach to education to ensure a skilled work force and job readiness. Hoosiers need a tax system in which the burden is shared between citizens and corporations, the state and local governments. While corporate income tax relief may help businesses in the short run, it is harmful if it requires increases in property taxes for working Hoosiers and additional taxes at the county levels. In the meantime, the counties and townships that rely on this funding are already working at scaled back, bare-boned funding that eventually services would be cut back and eliminated until reciprocal funding could be implemented. This would be harmful to hard working Hoosiers. The quality of life is declining in our state. This is evident in a variety of ways. 280,000 working Hoosiers cannot get health insurance because our state chose not to expand Medicaid. Our sate is ranked as one of the 10 most depressing states based on quality of life surveys. Our state has the fifth highest infant mortality rate in our nation, one that rivals some developing countries. Finally, and most distressing, more than one fourth of all children in our state live in the most gut wrenching and tragic poverty. 1 in 4, and they are children. I believe we can do better and it must be our top priority if we are going to keep good jobs and attract new businesses. Indiana must ensure all Hoosiers can live a good life without be forced to move to another state to achieve it.

”

Other issues highlighted by Porter included:

“

Education Ensure that every Hoosier child is receiving a quality education Find ways that high schools and colleges can increase vocational education to prepare students with real world skills that they will need to find a job Guarantee that all institutions in our state are on a level playing field Make a college education more affordable for all students by reigning in exploding cost and rewarding higher education institutions that hold the line on tuition Jobs Create an economy that promotes strong growth and providing high paying jobs for all Hoosiers Ensure our state is a business friendly partner to expand access to good paying jobs across our state. Increase the minimum wage to guarantee that hard work is rewarded and all Hoosiers have more income to spend on goods and services Focus on creating an environment where job creation and retention is priority number one. Taxes Ensure that tax cuts that benefit business are not at the expense of hard working, middle class Hoosiers. Prioritize funding to municipalities, schools and townships that are facing serious cuts at the hands of politicians in Indianapolis. Infrastructure Ensure that the state is adequately caring for our roads and bridges across all of Indiana, not just certain sections. Focus on high priorities that have been ignored around this state for far too long. Healthcare and Quality of Life Providing affordable health care to all Hoosiers is not only right but is our responsibility Maintain full participation in federal health programs such as Medicaid and Medicare. Create a local/state infrastructure bank to create jobs and rebuild Indiana's deteriorating roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Partner with communities and businesses to train Hoosier workers for jobs in the growing sectors of our economy Where Our Focus Should Be Focus on issues that matter to Hoosiers, not divisive social and political issues that take the focus off making our state better.

”

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Porter has been married to Mike Porter for over 30 years. They have two adult children, Rebekah (Tucker) Peterson and Aaron.

See also

2020 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. President U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

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External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic
• Campaign website (2014 state legislative election)
• Campaign Facebook page (2014 state legislative election)

Footnotes

[show]

Current members of the Indiana House of Representatives

Leadership

Speaker of the House:Todd Huston

Majority Leader:Matthew Lehman

Representatives

District 1

Carolyn Jackson (D)

District 2

Earl Harris (D)

District 3

Ragen Hatcher (D)

District 4

Edmond Soliday (R)

District 5

Dale DeVon (R)

District 6

Maureen Bauer (D)

District 7

Jake Teshka (R)

District 8

Ryan Dvorak (D)

District 9

Patricia Boy (D)

District 10

Charles Moseley (D)

District 11

Michael Aylesworth (R)

District 12

Mike Andrade (D)

District 13

Matt Commons (R)

District 14

Vernon Smith (D)

District 15

Harold Slager (R)

District 16

Kendell Culp (R)

District 17

Jack Jordan (R)

District 18

David Abbott (R)

District 19

Julie Olthoff (R)

District 20

Jim Pressel (R)

District 21

Timothy Wesco (R)

District 22

Craig Snow (R)

District 23

Ethan Manning (R)

District 24

Hunter Smith (R)

District 25

Becky Cash (R)

District 26

Chris Campbell (D)

District 27

Sheila Klinker (D)

District 28

Jeffrey Thompson (R)

District 29

Alaina Shonkwiler (R)

District 30

Michael Karickhoff (R)

District 31

Lori Goss-Reaves (R)

District 32

Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D)

District 33

John Prescott (R)

District 34

Sue Errington (D)

District 35

Elizabeth Rowray (R)

District 36

Kyle Pierce (R)

District 37

Todd Huston (R)

District 38

Heath VanNatter (R)

District 39

Daniel Lopez (R)

District 40

Gregory Steuerwald (R)

District 41

Mark Genda (R)

District 42

Tim Yocum (R)

District 43

Tonya Pfaff (D)

District 44

Beau Baird (R)

District 45

Bruce Borders (R)

District 46

Bob Heaton (R)

District 47

Robb Greene (R)

District 48

Doug Miller (R)

District 49

Joanna King (R)

District 50

Lorissa Sweet (R)

District 51

Tony Isa (R)

District 52

Ben Smaltz (R)

District 53

Ethan Lawson (R)

District 54

Cory Criswell (R)

District 55

Lindsay Patterson (R)

District 56

Bradford Barrett (R)

District 57

Craig Haggard (R)

District 58

Michelle Davis (R)

District 59

Ryan Lauer (R)

District 60

Peggy Mayfield (R)

District 61

Matt Pierce (D)

District 62

Dave Hall (R)

District 63

Shane Lindauer (R)

District 64

Matt Hostettler (R)

District 65

Christopher May (R)

District 66

Zach Payne (R)

District 67

Alex Zimmerman (R)

District 68

Garrett Bascom (R)

District 69

Jim Lucas (R)

District 70

Karen Engleman (R)

District 71

Wendy Dant Chesser (D)

District 72

Edward Clere (R)

District 73

Jennifer Meltzer (R)

District 74

Steve Bartels (R)

District 75

Cindy Ledbetter (R)

District 76

Wendy McNamara (R)

District 77

Alex Burton (D)

District 78

Tim O'Brien (R)

District 79

Matthew Lehman (R)

District 80

Phil GiaQuinta (D)

District 81

Martin Carbaugh (R)

District 82

Kyle Miller (D)

District 83

Christopher Judy (R)

District 84

Bob Morris (R)

District 85

David Heine (R)

District 86

Edward DeLaney (D)

District 87

Carey Hamilton (D)

District 88

Chris Jeter (R)

District 89

Mitch Gore (D)

District 90

Andrew Ireland (R)

District 91

Robert Behning (R)

District 92

Renee Pack (D)

District 93

Julie McGuire (R)

District 94

Cherrish Pryor (D)

District 95

John Bartlett (D)

District 96

Gregory Porter (D)

District 97

Justin Moed (D)

District 98

Robin Shackleford (D)

District 99

Vanessa Summers (D)

District 100

Robert Johnson (D)

Republican Party (70)

Democratic Party (30)