Indiana House District 44
Putnam County and Montgomery County
Indiana House District 44
Indiana House District 44 covers all of Putnam County and part of Montgomery County in west-central Indiana, roughly 45 miles west of Indianapolis. It is a district of farms, small towns, strong schools, and hardworking families — and it deserves a representative who shows up and fights for it.
Putnam County
Putnam County is home to about 38,000 people, anchored by the city of Greencastle and DePauw University. DePauw generates $78.5 million in annual economic impact and supports 1 in every 17 jobs in the county. The university's "Growing Green and Gold Together" initiative — funded by a $32 million Lilly Endowment grant — is bringing 120 new residential units, a downtown business incubator, and YMCA expansion to Greencastle.
Beyond the university, Putnam County's economy includes International Automotive Components, the Walmart Distribution Center, and the Putnamville Correctional Facility. Ninety-four percent of the county's 728 farms are family operations, producing $144 million in agricultural products.
Putnam County faces real challenges. The county hospital is a 12-bed Critical Access facility, and the county has fewer primary care doctors per capita than almost anywhere in Central Indiana. There are only 8 to 9 licensed childcare providers for the entire county. And 21% of farms still lack internet access.
Montgomery County
Montgomery County, with Crawfordsville as its county seat, brings manufacturing strength to the district. Nucor Steel Indiana is one of the company's flagship mills, employing roughly 770 people and investing over $400 million in expansion. Lakeside Book Company, Penguin Random House distribution, and Acuity Brands provide additional employment.
Crawfordsville is also an unlikely renewable energy success story. The city operates five solar parks producing 27 megawatts of electricity — enough to meet over half of the city's daily electricity load. Residents pay 8% less than the state average for electricity.
Montgomery County maintains Franciscan Health Crawfordsville, a 103-bed hospital, and runs nationally recognized programs like Project Swaddle for maternal and newborn support and the Mobile Integrated Health community paramedicine program.
The county's highway department maintains 818 miles of roadway — including 300 miles of gravel — and 179 bridges, a reminder of the infrastructure demands that rural communities face every day.
Our Communities
The district includes communities large and small — Greencastle, Crawfordsville, Cloverdale, Roachdale, Bainbridge, Russellville, and many more. It is home to Area 30 Career Center, West Central Indiana CTE, and Ivy Tech Community College in Crawfordsville. It is where the Greencastle Summer Enrichment Program has served low-income children for 38 years. It is where the Motocross of Nations drew thousands of international visitors to Ironman Raceway. It is where Beyond Homeless Inc. runs warming centers during dangerous cold snaps.
This is a district of people who work hard, look out for their neighbors, and expect the same from their elected officials.
The Stakes
District 44 has gone without a competitive election for years. That means the issues families care about most — school funding, healthcare access, property taxes, childcare — have gone without a real debate. Kelsey Kauffman is running to change that. Not with attacks, but with honest conversation about the policies that shape daily life in Putnam and Montgomery Counties.