Amy Kippenbrock, currently serving her second term as Dubois County Clerk, has formed an exploratory committee for Indiana State Senate District 48, which represents all of Crawford, Dubois, Gibson, Perry, Pike, and Spencer Counties. Mark Messmer, who has represented the district since 2014, received the Republican nomination for Indiana’s Eighth Congressional district last month.
“I have admired Senator Messmer’s service to the communities of Southwest Indiana and I look forward to his continued service in Washington DC,” Kippenbrock said.“I am focused on passionately serving our state and improving the lives of my family, friends, and community by focusing on the issues that matter most. I believe I have something to offer following Senator Messmer, and this exploratory committee is about testing the waters for when this seat becomes vacant.”
Messmer is favored to win the General Election in November and succeed Dr. Larry Bucshon, a fellow Republican, who has represented Indiana’s Eighth Congressional District, once known as the “Bloody Eighth,” for the past eleven and a half years. A caucus of Republican precinct committeemen in Indiana Senate District 48 will determine who completes Messmer’s current term, which ends in 2026, should he vacate the Senate seat.
“At this point, I am truly exploring,” Kippenbrock said. “I’m listening and having conversations with community leaders and constituents across the district to learn what is most important to them in their next State Senator.”
Kippenbrock was first elected Dubois County Clerk in 2018 with over 56% of the vote. Under her leadership, Dubois County has transitioned from precinct-based voting to county-wide vote centers –without compromising election security. In 2020, Kippenbrock was recognized, alongside her colleagues, as “Clerk of the Year” for her diligent efforts to protect election security in the midst of the Presidential Election during the COVID pandemic. Additionally, Kippenbrock has worked to modernize the Dubois County Clerk’s Office by implementing digital record-keeping software and was appointed by the Governor to the Oversight Committee on Public Documents. Kippenbrock graduated from the Ball State University Certificate in Election Administration, Technology, and Security (CEATS) program in May of 2024.
