Ashley Eason

Ashley Eason (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Indiana State Senate to represent District 46. She lost in the Democratic primary on May 3, 2022.

Eason completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Ashley Eason was born in Plano, Texas. She earned a B.A. in communication studies from Texas Tech University in 2006 and an M.A. in international peace and conflict resolution from American University in 2011.^[1] Eason was the vice president of programs and services for The International Center in Indianapolis from 2017 to 2022. She also worked as the regional outreach director and manager for the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition in Washington, D.C. from 2014 to 2017.^[2]

Elections

2022

General election

General election for Indiana State Senate District 46

Andrea Hunley defeated Evan Shearin in the general election for Indiana State Senate District 46 on November 8, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Andrea Hunley (D)	72.9	19,503
	Evan Shearin (R)	27.1	7,238

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 26,741
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Indiana State Senate District 46

Andrea Hunley defeated Kristin Jones, Ashley Eason, Karla Lopez Owens, and Bob Kern in the Democratic primary for Indiana State Senate District 46 on May 3, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Andrea Hunley	43.9	3,142
	Kristin Jones	25.9	1,859
	Ashley Eason	16.7	1,194
	Karla Lopez Owens	12.5	893
	Bob Kern	1.1	77

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 7,165
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Indiana State Senate District 46

Evan Shearin advanced from the Republican primary for Indiana State Senate District 46 on May 3, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Evan Shearin	100.0	1,535

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,535
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Shawn Carruthers (R)

Campaign finance

2020

General election

General election for Indiana State Senate District 36

Incumbent Jack Sandlin defeated Ashley Eason in the general election for Indiana State Senate District 36 on November 3, 2020.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Jack Sandlin (R)	53.9	27,601
	Ashley Eason (D)	46.1	23,633

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 51,234
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Indiana State Senate District 36

Ashley Eason defeated Jason Fletcher in the Democratic primary for Indiana State Senate District 36 on June 2, 2020.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Ashley Eason	73.4	6,339
	Jason Fletcher	26.6	2,297

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 8,636
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Indiana State Senate District 36

Incumbent Jack Sandlin advanced from the Republican primary for Indiana State Senate District 36 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jack Sandlin	100.0	6,533

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 6,533
= 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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Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

Ashley Eason completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Eason's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Ashley Eason is a non-profit business executive with 20 years of global, bipartisan leadership experience fostering winning solutions for both our state and country. She holds a graduate degree in International Peace and Conflict Resolution and an undergraduate degree in Communications. No stranger to leading teams, managing budgets, creating great outcomes, and navigating our local government—she hopes to bring her robust experience to serve Hoosiers at the Statehouse.

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?

Anything’s possible when we fight for voters. I’m the only candidate in this race with the track record of successfully going toe to toe with Republicans in races that were never supposed to be competitive. In my last race, I increased voter participation in my district in just 4️ months — increasing Democrat turnout by 30% compared to my opponent’s 1% increase. And I did it with 1/4 the amount of money. Imagine how successful we could be as Indiana Democrats with this sort of sophisticated program statewide and the money to support winning candidates. I’m committed to helping our party recruit and equip great candidates statewide to flip seats and bring balance to our statehouse in the coming years.
Building a strong democratic party is everyone’s job. We need a State Senator representing Indianapolis who can help build the Indiana Democratic Party local residents need and deserve. We need new leaders in the Senate who won’t shrink back to the status quo, and who will challenge assumptions about who gets to be at the table in politics, elections, and governing. That’s why this race is really about who can help truly build a statewide Democratic party with a vision beyond one race or seat, and focus on a transformative strategy for the next decade.Because building a strong Democratic party is everyone’s job. I am that leader with the vision and experience to lead.
We could be doing so much more as elected Democrats. Republicans have systematically and methodically run thousands of candidates for local offices for decades and we’re behind the ball. We need transformational leaders today. That’s why my vision for the Indiana State Senate isn’t merely about getting elected and maintaining the status quo. It’s about: rapidly increasing voter registrations; advocating for voting rights, voter reinstatement and robust voting options; monitoring voter rolls for accuracy and engagement; inspiring interested voters to become PCs, run for office and take a more active role in their party; raising money to support more qualified, experienced candidates that come from all walks of life.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I have identified six (6) core issues that are central to my candidacy, and closely aligned with the public policy initiatives I’m most likely to focus on addressing. I outline these in detail on my website.. These public policy areas include:

Healthy Moms and Kids.
Safe Thriving Schools.
Quality of Life.
Reliable Public Transportation.
Good Paying Jobs.

Equality for All.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to many different women in my personal and professional life, in addition to well-known public figures. There’s something in each of them that shines and serves as a light and guidepost for me. From my mother it’s resilience and selflessness. From my sister it’s humor and forgiveness. From many colleagues it’s confidence and teamwork. For my professional ambitions, it’s women who have served our country as diplomats with cultural understanding, diplomacy, and unwavering patriotism.

At the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., there is a terrace dedicated to the Secretaries of State. During a visit there in 2020 I found a quote etched in stone that sums up the way I think about this work and our country.

“What makes the United States of America unique is how individuals throughout our country’s history have taken responsibility for preserving the past, while imagining and creating an even better future.” Hillary Rodham Clinton, Dedicated on October 27, 2011.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

It's important to have legislators who are committed to:

-Public service on behalf of their communities (want to serve, not just “win a race”)
-Working with all members of their legislative body to enact laws and policies that benefit their constituents in a prompt, nonpartisan fashion

-Accessibility to the constituents they serve and helping them solve the real-time problems they are facing

What legacy would you like to leave?

The legacy I would like to leave as a State Senator in Indiana is that when I depart, and for many years after, every member of the Senate Democrat caucus understands what it takes to win competitive elections, runs their own campaigns strategically to bring out Democrats for races up and down the ballot, and that every year going forward we are adding new members to our caucus with increasing diversity of background, perspectives, experiences, and identity.

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

My first job, at age 15, was as a cashier at a dry cleaners. I worked there during the summer and learned a lot about the value of hard work. The following summer I got a job at a local silver jewelry shop and I worked there for the next several summers and during busy holiday seasons all the way into college. The money I earned in these early jobs allowed me to pay for church youth group activities and trips.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

I'm constantly getting songs stuck in my head. Music has been an important part of my life for as long as I can remember. I joined choir in middle school and quickly started singing in competitive groups, at UIL and all-region and all-state competitions, and singing in my church choir all the way through high school. I even started college as a music major and thought I might become a professional singer. While I moved on from that career path after my first year of college, singing and music remains an integral part of my personal life.

Recently I've been listening to songs from a campaign mix one of my staff members created to inspire our team, and Taylor Swift's Shake It Off has become one of my favorites.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I was in my third semester of grad school when I hit a breaking point. All of my school work took longer for me. I knew what I needed to do and how to do it to be successful, but my brain would just shut down when it was time to do it. It didn’t matter if I had created the perfect conditions—my brain would just stop. I assumed it was my fault for some reason.

So I asked for help. A kind academic counselor said, “Did you know you have many of the red flags for ADHD?” And, no, I had no idea. It had never crossed my mind that it wasn’t my own lack of discipline. I spent the first 30 years of my life trying to fix or hide what was wrong with me, instead of embracing what was right.

Today I'm proud to share my experience with ADHD with others. For me, ADHD is still a challenge that impacts many parts of my life. It’s not that I can’t pay attention—it’s that I pay attention to everything and that can be exhausting. So now I focus on what I'm good at like empathy, creativity, energy and amazing problem-solving skills—all great things that come along with ADHD.

I encourage everyone to consider how we might better support others. For me, it’s practicing empathy, helping others out, and working to break the stigma around mental health and neuro diversity.

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

An ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature is one of checks and balances.Along with the judiciary, these relationships serve to temper and strengthen the policies that are enacted in our state. I believe that we get the best results when all participants must make a strong case to their colleagues about the value, impact, and effectiveness of each new or updated piece of legislation and earn their support for passage.

In Indiana today, we have a supermajority of Republicans in the General Assembly, and we have a Republican Governor. Unfortunately, this often results in less than ideal legislation passing because the majority party does not need to convince any leaders from their opposition to support the legislation.

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

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

I think a great model for a legislator is actually the relationship between two Indiana leaders: the late Senator Richard Lugar and Congressman Lee Hamilton. Though they represented different political parties, and surely did not agree on all policy matters, Lugar and Hamilton valued collaboration and set a model of bipartisanship that is sorely missing from most politics today. They left many important legacies from their time in public service, and both are well-known for their global perspective and their understanding of the connectedness of our world. I hope to offer something to continue their legacies of bipartisanship and global understanding in my public service.

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

I do not have specific ambitions for an office beyond the State Senate contest I’m in today. That said, one of the great pieces of advice I’ve received from my Dad over the years is to not turn a job down before it’s offered to you. I’ll be working hard to serve my neighbors no matter the role I have in politics, government, or the private sector.

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?

A story that I’ve heard many different versions of over the last few years is that of elected officials who are completely unresponsive to voters and constituents. It’s incredible to me how often stories like that come up in my conversations with voters. They share examples of ways they’ve tried to connect with their representative: emailing, calling, inviting their representative to an event or forum, visiting their offices, and yet, many elected officials fail to respond to the constituents that rely on their leadership and whose tax dollars pay their salaries.

It’s been important to me in my campaigns that we set a different example from day one. I’ve been responsive to voters from the start - no matter what party they claim, what neighborhood they represent, or whether they call me or send me a DM on Instagram - because this is a core function of public service. I intend to listen to my neighbors because they are the ones to whom I’m accountable.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Compromise is essential for policymaking, and it always has been. Lawmakers are a part of a legislative body - they are not independent actors operating in a vacuum. A motivated legislator will work tirelessly to push for their preferred policies and legislation, but the effective legislator knows that they must understand their audience, fight hard for the things their constituents need, and strategically offer compromises when they must..

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.

2020

Ashley Eason completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Eason'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.

Ashley Eason is a mission-driven non-profit leader that achieves great outcomes with limited resources like it's her job-because, well...it is. She looks forward to bringing that same compassionate pragmatism to state government as Indiana State Senator for the 36th district. She believes her southside neighbors in Indy and Greenwood need someone at the statehouse looking out for their interests with grit, determination and a healthy dose of common sense and empathy, and she's ready to get to work.

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?

I believe in good paying jobs and reliable public transportation options to reach those jobs for all Hoosiers.
I believe in thriving, safe schools and healthy moms and babies.
I believe in equality for all as well as the basic expectation that we should all enjoy a high quality of life in our state.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I have identified six (6) core issues that are central to my candidacy, and closely aligned with the public policy initiatives I'm most likely to focus on addressing. I outline these in detail on my website.. These public policy areas include:

-- Healthy Moms and Kids
-- Safe Thriving Schools
-- Quality of Life
-- Reliable Public Transportation
-- Good Paying Jobs

-- Equality for All

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

When I had the opportunity to move to Indiana for my job, I took it because I believed Indianapolis was the kind of place that if you showed up, practiced kindness, and offered to help, doors would open to you. My time in this community has exceeded my expectations, but I also see that doors open to me because of my own privilege. In the 36th Senate district, our community is falling behind state averages in wealth, health, and educational attainment despite being located in the capital city (including our own state house), having excellent universities, and many of the state's top companies and leading employers. I'm running to help open doors for all of my neighbors - so that they can benefit from the success of our state, too.

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

Generally, people identify my strengths, as they relate to this campaign, as:

- Pragmatic
- Diplomatic
- Analytical
- Patient

- Compassionate

What legacy would you like to leave?

I believe this election is about bringing the voice of regular Hoosiers to the statehouse- especially the voices of women and minorities. For too long in Indiana, state and local politics have been ignored by so much of the electorate, but COVID-19 has made plain for so many the importance of having competent, compassionate elected officials at every level of government. Every day, we are seeing the impact of our state leaders' decisions on the well-being and health of our neighbors. The impact of COVID-19 will be with us for a long time, and we need pragmatic, thoughtful leaders to guide us through the emergency response and the recovery.

This is also a once in a century opportunity to reset our priorities as a community, a city, and a state. It's so unusual to have such a significant pause to our way of life - I want to ensure we take this time to decide how we want to live going forward. We have a stronger case to make about so many core democratic issues including: access to affordable and high-quality health care and health insurance, paid sick leave, paid family leave, well-paid teachers, and quality of life improvements like parks and trails. We must not squander this chance to push for changes that will benefit everyone in the community.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first major historic U.S. event that I can remember as a child was the Oklahoma City bombing. It took place while I was in middle school. I distinctly remember our teacher telling us about it and watching the news coverage on TV. I had the chance to visit the site of the bombing during a church choir tour the following summer where we walked along the chain link fence and looked at the memorials and mementos left by well-wishers. Later, during my senior year of high school, my church choir tour returned to the site and toured the completed memorial. I will always remember the heartbreaking image of the field of sculptures of empty chairs - one for every precious life lost that day.

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

My first job, at age 15, was as a cashier at a dry cleaners. I worked there during the summer and learned a lot about the value of hard work. The following summer I got a job at a local silver jewelry shop and I worked there for the next several summers and during busy holiday seasons all the way into college. The money I earned in these early jobs allowed me to pay for church youth group activities and trips.

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

While I believe it is helpful to understand the necessary steps and processes a legislator may need in order to perform their role well, and best serve their constituents, I believe these skills can be learned and it's far more important to have legislators who are committed to:

-- Public service on behalf of their communities (want to serve, not just "win a race")
-- Working with all members of their legislative body to enact laws and policies that benefit their constituents in a prompt, nonpartisan fashion

-- Accessibility to the constituents they serve and helping them solve the real-time problems they are facing

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

Building relationships with other legislators is not only beneficial, it's essential for success. No one in the legislature can act unilaterally. Respect, appreciation, and understanding of your colleagues is important to foster collaboration on shared and disparate policy goals. Stammering and stonewalling progress does nothing but infuriate constituents and lend credibility to the incorrect notion that governments cannot be effective. Governments can be highly effective if legislators are aligned in their service to their communities first.

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.

External links

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Candidate

Indiana State Senate District 46

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 9, 2020
↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 4, 2022.

[show]

Current members of the Indiana State Senate

Leadership

Majority Leader:Chris Garten

Senators

District 1

Dan Dernulc (R)

District 2

Lonnie Randolph (D)

District 3

Mark Spencer (D)

District 4

Rodney Pol (D)

District 5

Ed Charbonneau (R)

District 6

Rick Niemeyer (R)

District 7

Brian Buchanan (R)

District 8

Mike Bohacek (R)

District 9

Ryan Mishler (R)

District 10

David Niezgodski (D)

District 11

Linda Rogers (R)

District 12

Blake Doriot (R)

District 13

Susan Glick (R)

District 14

Tyler Johnson (R)

District 15

Liz Brown (R)

District 16

Justin Busch (R)

District 17

Andy Zay (R)

District 18

Stacey Donato (R)

District 19

Travis Holdman (R)

District 20

Scott Baldwin (R)

District 21

James Buck (R)

District 22

Ronnie Alting (R)

District 23

Spencer Deery (R)

District 24

Brett Clark (R)

District 25

Mike Gaskill (R)

District 26

Scott Alexander (R)

District 27

Jeff Raatz (R)

District 28

Michael Crider (R)

District 29

J.D. Ford (D)

District 30

Fady Qaddoura (D)

District 31

Kyle Walker (R)

District 32

Aaron Freeman (R)

District 33

Greg Taylor (D)

District 34

La Keisha Jackson (D)

District 35

Michael Young (R)

District 36

Cyndi Carrasco (R)

District 37

Rodric Bray (R)

District 38

Greg Goode (R)

District 39

Eric Bassler (R)

District 40

Shelli Yoder (D)

District 41

Greg Walker (R)

District 42

Jean Leising (R)

District 43

Randy Maxwell (R)

District 44

Eric Koch (R)

District 45

Chris Garten (R)

District 46

Andrea Hunley (D)

District 47

Gary Byrne (R)

District 48

Daryl Schmitt (R)

District 49

Jim Tomes (R)

District 50

Vaneta Becker (R)

Republican Party (40)

Democratic Party (10)

[bio-1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 9, 2020

[2] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 4, 2022.

[1]

[2]

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Ashley Eason

Contents

Biography

Elections

2022

General election

General election for Indiana State Senate District 46

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Indiana State Senate District 46

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Indiana State Senate District 46

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Campaign finance

2020

General election

General election for Indiana State Senate District 36

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Indiana State Senate District 36

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Indiana State Senate District 36

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

2020

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

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2025 Elections

Election analysis

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