LaPorte County Councilman Randy Novak will replace former State Rep. Pat Boy to represent District 9 following a Saturday caucus.
Novak, who was the only candidate to file for the caucus, said many people approached him to consider running for Boy’s seat when she announced her retirement.
A few years ago, Novak said he started thinking about running for the District 9 seat as a Democrat, but he chose not to during Boy’s tenure because he respected her and the work she was doing. After Boy announced her retirement, Novak said she met with him and said he should run for her seat.
“I was honored, and here I am,” Novak said.
As a state representative, Novak, 65, said he will focus on issues like public safety, education, jobs, environment and housing. Further, Novak said he will champion the same issues as Boy.
“To the residents of District 9, I pledge to serve with integrity, transparency, and dedication. I will work tirelessly to advance policies that strengthen our communities and improve the quality of life for everyone in our area,” Novak said in a statement after the vote.
There’s a possibility that Novak’s first vote could be on redistricting Indiana’s Congressional maps.
President Donald Trump and his administration have been pressuring Republican states, including Texas, Missouri and Indiana, to redistrict their Congressional maps ahead of the 2026 election. Redistricting occurs after census data is released every 10 years.
Vice President JD Vance has met with Indiana Republicans three times since August to discuss redistricting. While state leaders haven’t announced a special session to address redistricting, Gov. Mike Braun has signaled that he could call the legislature into session in November to discuss redistricting to avoid retribution from the Trump administration.
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Novak said he’s hopeful that redistricting “doesn’t come to fruition.”
“I’m hopeful that there’s enough people that feel it is not right, the way they want it done, and that they do the right thing,” Novak said.
If he had to vote on redistricting, Novak said he wouldn’t support the measure because it’s a form of gerrymandering, when the political party in charge draws voting districts in its favor.
“There’s time to do redistricting and redraw the maps. When you do it specifically with the purpose of manipulating the election, I think it causes the public to lose any trust they have in us,” Novak said. “There’s a process and we should follow that, not this.”
Novak said his family moved to LaPorte County when he was 9 years old, and he’s lived in the area ever since. He has been married to his wife, Debbie, for 46 years, and they have two sons and four grandchildren, he said.
As a career firefighter, Novak started out at the Michiana Shores volunteer fire department. In 1986, Novak began working for the Michigan City Fire Department, where he went on to work for 33 years before retiring as fire chief, he said.
Throughout his career, Novak also served in local politics, he said. Novak served on the Michiana Shores town board from 1991 to 1996, then in 2014 he was elected to the LaPorte County Council, where he’s currently serving his third term, he said.
“It was very rewarding working for the residents of LaPorte County. I enjoyed helping. I’ve kind of dedicated my whole life to public service,” Novak said.
As a state representative, Novak said he will draw on his experience as a firefighter, fire department administrator and local politician to address local issues, especially fiscal and emergency management bills.
“I hope I bring a lot to the table,” Novak said.
State Sen. Rodney Pol, D-Chesterton, said Novak will bring expertise in many areas, like in managing a local fire department and its budget amid the state’s implementation of Senate Enrolled Act 1, the property tax bill that will save two-thirds of taxpayers up to $300 on their 2026 property tax bill while local governments will lose $1.4 billion through 2028.
“Randy brings a very common sense approach to the issues we face at the state and local level,” Pol said. “He is very liked across both sides of the aisle.”
Indiana Democratic Party Chair Karen Tallian, a former State Senator from Ogden Dunes, said Novak has been a champion for labor and working families throughout his career.
“He will bring that same commitment to service with him to Indianapolis,” Tallian said. “We are excited for the impact he will make from day one on supporting labor, public safety, and public safety.”
Novak, who will serve the rest of Boy’s term, said he will run for the seat in the November 2026 election.