In Reverence

With the news of Congresswoman Carson’s passing this morning, our thoughts and prayers are with the Carson family. We ask that you lift her family up in your prayers as well.

-The Directors of Hoosier Access

I remember the first time I met Congresswoman Carson. I was working in Congressman Burton’s district office and I was assigned to go down to the grand opening of the north end of the canal in Indy. It was a spring like day with lots of sun. The entire federal delegation of Indiana was invited, but Julia was the only elected official to show up. After the ceremony that saw speeches given by Mayor Bart Peterson and Governor Frank O’Bannon, I was young and decided to take the opportunity to greet some of these officials. Upon meeting Congresswoman Carson, I was floored by her. She was affable and took my hand and proceeded to give me a hug. She seemed so caring and grandmotherly that I immediately understood why people loved her so much. But eventually I also got to see her campaign side.

I always found the congresswoman to be a worthy foe in elections. Those who didn’t know any better tended to underappreciate her campaign skills, but never questioned her ability to turn out her constituents. She may have given the impression to the opposition that she didn’t have what it took to run more campaigns in her later years, but even as we all saw her health starting to fail her, we knew she was tenacious and feisty and she should have never been counted out.

Julia Carson, you were a worthy political opponent and I will miss that. I pray God’s grace on you and your families lives. May you rest in peace.

-Josh