State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago, believes experience helps his campaign for District 2, but his opponent, Ben Ruiz, believes a fresh face is good for constituents.

The district’s voters will choose between the two in Tuesday’s general election. District 2 covers most of East Chicago.

Harris, a Democrat, was first elected to the House in 2016, according to the Indiana House Democratic Caucus. He was named chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus on Dec. 23, 2022.

Harris also serves as assistant Democratic floor leader and ranking Democrat on the House Roads and Transportation Committee. He’s also a member of the Ways and Means and Government and Regulatory Reform committees.The District 2 seat was previously held by his mother Donna from 2015 to 2016 and his father Earl Harris Sr., who held the seat from 1982 until his death in 2015.

“It’s no secret that I have a lot of history with this,” Harris said. “I’ve been around it for a big chunk of my life. There’s a lot of knowledge and experience that comes with that.”

Harris is most proud of House Bill 1449, or the 21st Century Scholars bill, which passed in April 2023 with bipartisan support. The bill, which is now law, automatically enrolls eligible students in the program and notifies their families of the academic requirements that must be fulfilled to receive the scholarship.

“I’m a big believer in doing whatever we can do to help young people continue their education past high school,” Harris said. “If it’s a certificate, two-year degree, four-year degree, training, whatever it is, we should do that.”

On Thursday, the Indiana House Democrats announced that the scholarship program has more than doubled for its 2027 and 2028 cohorts. More than 50,000 students have been enrolled in the 2028 class, and nearly 46,000 students have enrolled in the 2027 class.

Before Harris’ bill, enrollment was less than 20,000 students in a cohort.

The current representative is worried about how Indiana’s new graduation requirements, which will go into effect with the class of 2029, will affect the 21st Century Scholars program.

“What the problem has been, and what still seems to be an issue, is that the new diplomas swing the pendulum way over to the workforce,” Harris said.

If re-elected, Harris wants to continue working to better the 21st Century Scholars program.

In addition to education goals, Harris wants to continue working towards fighting a statewide physician shortage. In 2024, He filed House Bill 1175, which would repay medical school loans up to $200,000 if physicians commit to staying in Indiana for 10 years.

If re-elected, Harris plans to refile the bill in 2025.

Harris also wants to work to bring a law school to Northwest Indiana, which he said the region has been missing since Valparaiso University School of Law’s final class graduated in 2020.

“This is something I grew up learning from my parents,” Harris said. “Whether it’s about health care, education or economic development, how do you give back to the people you represent, and how do you do that in the best way?”

Ben Ruiz, a Republican, is running for representative to bring a new perspective to the role.

Ruiz, a businessman, previously ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House of Representatives District 1. He lost to Randy Niemeyer, who is facing off against U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, in the general election.

Although Ruiz believes his experience in past races helps his campaign, he wants voters to know he isn’t a “career politician,” and he wants to bring a new perspective to the House.

“There aren’t many people running against these incumbents that have repeatedly been part of the political scene for some time,” Ruiz said. “(Change) is very much needed, especially in our demographic area, where we have a lot of minorities that should be represented equally.”

If elected, Ruiz wants to focus on restructuring education boundaries and ensuring that students are prepared to either enter the workforce or higher education after high school.

Although the state has a high graduation rate, Ruiz believes Indiana students are underperforming compared to other states.

“That’s really an injustice to our students in the school system, and it affects our communities in various economic ways,” he said. “They can’t look for a job.”

Ruiz also wants to focus on economic development, and he thinks it’s important for communities to invest in small businesses. He believes an emphasis on local businesses will help Northwest Indiana thrive and boost its economic social status, Ruiz said.

Ruiz wants voters to know that he has their best interests in mind, and his main goal is to benefit his constituents and bring prosperity to the community.

“I genuinely care about the community,” he added. “I want to see our community thrive with small businesses, and I want people to grab a hold of the opportunities that we have and revitalize our economy.”

mwilkins@chicagotribune .com