During Progressive Indiana Network’s Portraits and Perspectives event, I sat down with Austin Meives, candidate for Indiana State House District 23, covering Miami and Cass counties. Our conversation revealed a candidate shaped by both unexpected inspiration and hard-earned resilience.
When I asked what sparked his decision to run for office, Austin’s answer wasn’t what I expected. We explored how he went from having no political involvement just a year ago to taking on an incumbent state representative. His path into politics wasn’t traditional, and his honesty about that journey set the tone for the rest of our discussion.
One of the most powerful moments came when I asked Austin to share something he’s struggled with in his life. Too often, we put politicians on pedestals and develop cults of personality around our leaders. Austin’s willingness to speak openly about personal battles—including a severe heartbreak in 2020 that led to amphetamine addiction and mental health crisis—demonstrated the kind of authenticity rarely seen in political candidates. He’s now a couple years clean and views himself as “a face of change,” taking things one day at a time. That vulnerability and lived experience, he explained, makes him more relatable to constituents who are all struggling with something.
We also talked about legacy and values. When I asked what he wants people to say about Austin Meives when they look back at his life, his answer centered on keeping his word—being someone who follows through on commitments, come hell or high water. We discussed the role of interpersonal relationships in the statehouse, balancing the need for working relationships with the duty to constituents rather than special interests. Austin was clear: legislators are there to represent the little guy, the regular people who show up to vote, not the bankers and industrialists.
The conversation touched on historical figures as well, with Austin expressing admiration for Jimmy Carter—not just for his politics, but for being a decent human being who worked his way up from peanut farmer to president, then used his post-presidency to build homes with Habitat for Humanity.
This wasn’t a typical political interview full of rehearsed talking points. It was a conversation about struggle, redemption, and what it means to serve people who face real challenges every day. Austin Meives brings a perspective to the state house shaped by experiences many politicians would rather hide—and that authenticity might be exactly what District 23 needs.
Check out Austin’s interviews with Derrick Holder and Brianna Newhart, and all of our interviews with other candidates from this event at progressiveindiana.net.
