Ukraine native to serve as newest state senator

NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (Statehouse File) — When Victoria Spartz took the stage at a caucus to determine who would fill Sen. Luke Kenley’s seat, her accent was strong, but her passion for American politics was stronger, Adrianna Pitrelli writes WTHR.

“I’ll tell you a story about my accent,” Spartz, a Ukraine native, said to start her introduction to 93 precinct committee members Wednesday. “I was once at a McDonald’s drive thru and a young girl was very surprised and said, ‘You sound like you have an accent.’ I’ve been here for 17 years and yes, I have an accent.”

As a native of Ukraine, Spartz said she has a desire to ensure the limited government is the foundation of Hoosier policies, allowing for lower taxes and a free enterprise system.

“Being elected by you shows what a strong Republican Party we have,” Spartz said. “In our Constitutional Democracy, we the people decide who gets to represent us.”

Victoria Spartz shakes hands with precinct voters on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017, after she was chosen to serve out the remainder of retiring State Sen. Luke Kenley’s term until 2020. (TheStatehouseFile.com Photo/Adrianna Pitrelli)

Spartz defeated six other candidates striving to finish the remainder of retiring Luke Kenley’s term, including Dan Schmidt, who previously worked for former Gov. Mike Pence, and Megan Wiles, president of the Noblesville City Council and the candidate Kenley himself endorsed.

The Noblesville Republican announced his retirement in July and will finish his 25 years in office on Sept. 30. As chairman of the Senate Appropriates Committee, Kenley finished his final legislative session by passing a balanced budget and developing a long-term road funding plan for the Hoosier State.

Precinct committee members in Hamilton County met to appoint Kenley’s replacement Wednesday before the start of the 2018 legislative session. With seven candidates vying for the open seat, a majority of votes had to go to one candidate before a winner was announced. It took six rounds of voting by the precinct committee members to finalize who would become the state’s newest senator.

Indiana GOP Chairman, Kyle Hupfer, said Kenley’s wisdom and insight will be missed, but he knows Spartz will be a good addition to the Statehouse.

“I am confident that Senator-elect Victoria Spartz will hit the ground running and quickly become a valued asset in the state senate as we continue to provide leadership and results for every Hoosier taxpayer and family,” Hupfer said in a statement.

Spartz, who will represent District 20 as senator until 2020, gives credit to Americans for giving her opportunities she would not have had otherwise.

Spartz, who will represent District 20 as senator until 2020, gives credit to Americans for giving her opportunities she would not have had otherwise.

“The strong and smart Americans made me a strong American woman,” Spartz said. “It’s our time to take the freedom and pass it on to other generations.”