U.S. Sen.-elect Jim Banks said he wants to be a conservative fighter for Indiana in the Senate as he takes on his new position.
Banks said one of his first priorities as Indiana’s newest U.S. senator will be building a statewide team. Banks has spent his political career representing northeast Indiana, both in the state Senate and Congress.
“It’s a diverse state, so I have a lot to learn about local issues — from Evansville to the Region to Indianapolis and places that I haven’t represented before,” Banks said.
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A military veteran, Banks served on the Armed Services Committee in the House. He said he hopes to continue that work in the Senate.
“A bigger role, a bigger platform on those national security issues — which affects every Hoosier, but we have a lot of employers in the state in the defense industry,” Banks said.
Banks said he looks forward to being the same kind of conservative lawmaker he was in the U.S. House.
Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.