Democrat Lowry running against Republican Buck

Aug. 21—Like many Americans, Josh Lowry was dismayed and angry when a draft of the U.S. Supreme Court opinion suggesting the court was going to overturn Roe V. Wade was leaked earlier this May.

The Supreme Court did overturn the landmark decision in June, removing the constitutional right to an abortion and leaving the decision to whether a woman has that right to the states. Earlier this month, Republican Indiana state legislators voted to ban abortion in all cases except for cases of incest, rape and to protect the life and physical health of the mother.

The leak of the memo not only angered Lowry, but it played a major role in his decision to run for office.

Lowry, a resident of Westfield, is the Democrat facing incumbent State Sen. Jim Buck, R-Kokomo, this November for State Senate District 21, which covers all of Kokomo, Russiaville, Tipton County and parts of Hamilton County. Buck has represented the district since 2008.

A native of Martinsville, Lowry attended Indiana University Bloomington and tried his hand at professional wrestling before going to law school. He spent five years as a deputy attorney general practicing constitutional law. He is currently an attorney for Paganelli Law Group, where he practices civil litigation.

Since kicking his campaign off last month, Lowry said the number one issue Hoosiers are talking to him about is abortion access.

Lowry is pro-choice. His opponent is not. Buck was one of 18 state Senate Republicans who voted in favor of an amendment that would have stripped the rape and incest exceptions from the state's near abortion ban.

It's a stark difference that Lowry makes sure to point out to potential voters.

"I believe a woman has the right to make her own decisions about what to do with her body, and it's clear my opponent does not," Lowry said in a phone interview with the Tribune.

Lowry said he would be in favor of the state implementing a process to have a statewide referendum on certain topics, such as abortion, giving the state's residents the opportunity to vote on issues. Currently, the only type of legally-binding statewide referendum allowed in Indiana is to change the state's Constitution.

Lowry and his wife, Amy, have fostered 11 children, adopting four. With children comes the high cost of child care.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, the average cost of child care in Indiana is a little over $1,000 a month. Parents are given the choice of bearing the cost or leaving their job to be a stay-at-home parent.

Lowry told the Tribune he believes the state could be doing more to subsidy the cost of child care.

In addition to abortion and child care costs, other top issues for Lowry, according to his campaign website, are implementing universal preschool, marijuana legalization and continuing the state's push to extend high speed internet access.

Tyler Juranovich can be reached at 765-454-8577, by email at tyler.juranovich@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter at @tylerjuranovich.