Erin Houchin

Erin Houchin
Born	Erin Suzanne Mount 24 9, 1976
Birthplace	Salem, Indiana, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Known for	U.S. Representative for Indiana's 9th congressional district
Spouse(s)	Dustin Houchin
Children	3
Website	[houchin.house.gov Official site]

Erin Suzanne Houchin (Template:Née Mount; born September 24, 1976) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Indiana's 9th congressional district since January 2023. A member of the Republican Party, Houchin previously represented the 47th district in the Indiana Senate from 2014 to 2022. Born and raised in Salem, Indiana, she entered electoral politics by defeating an incumbent state senator in 2014, and went on to serve in the Indiana General Assembly for nearly eight years before resigning to run for Congress. In the 2022 election, Houchin won the seat vacated by Trey Hollingsworth, becoming the first woman to represent Indiana's 9th congressional district. In the 119th United States Congress, she serves as Secretary of the House Republican Conference under Speaker Mike Johnson. During her time in Congress, Houchin has focused on legislative areas including housing policy, education, children's online safety, and tax reform. She has been recognized as one of the most effective Republican lawmakers in the 118th Congress in the areas of housing and education.

Early Life

Erin Suzanne Mount was born on September 24, 1976, in Salem, Indiana, a small city in Washington County in the southern part of the state. She grew up in the region that would later form part of Indiana's 9th congressional district, an area encompassing much of southeastern Indiana and characterized by its rural communities and small towns. Houchin's upbringing in Salem placed her in one of Indiana's more conservative and traditionally Republican regions. Details about her parents and family background during childhood are limited in publicly available sources, though her long residence in southern Indiana has been a recurring element of her political identity and campaigns.

Houchin's path to public life was shaped in part by her experiences as a mother. She and her husband, Dustin Houchin, have three children together. The intersection of motherhood and political ambition became a notable aspect of her public profile, particularly during her earlier campaigns. A 2016 profile in Roll Call examined how motherhood distinguished her candidacy in a congressional race that year, highlighting the challenges and dynamics faced by women running for office while raising young children. That experience of balancing family responsibilities with a career in public service would remain a theme throughout her political career.

Career

Indiana State Senate (2014–2022)

Houchin's entry into elected office came in 2014, when she ran for the Indiana Senate seat representing the 47th district. In a notable upset, she defeated the incumbent Republican state senator, Richard D. Young, in the primary election, securing the party's nomination. She went on to win the general election and took office on November 18, 2014.

During her tenure in the Indiana Senate, Houchin served as a legislator for the 47th district, which encompassed portions of southern Indiana. She served in the state legislature for nearly eight years, during which she participated in a range of legislative activities within the Indiana General Assembly. Her service in the state senate provided her with a foundation in legislative process and policy development that she would later carry into her congressional career.

2016 Congressional Campaign

Before her successful 2022 bid for Congress, Houchin made an earlier attempt to win a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 2016, she entered the Republican primary for Indiana's 9th congressional district. The race attracted attention in part because of the dynamics of her candidacy as a young mother running for Congress, as explored in media coverage at the time. However, Houchin did not win the Republican primary in 2016; the seat was ultimately won by Trey Hollingsworth, who went on to serve three terms in Congress. Following her unsuccessful congressional bid, Houchin returned to her duties in the Indiana Senate and continued to represent the 47th district.

2022 Congressional Campaign

When Representative Trey Hollingsworth announced he would not seek re-election to Indiana's 9th congressional district in 2022, Houchin launched a second bid for the seat. She announced her candidacy and formally entered the race, which drew a competitive Republican primary field.

To focus on her congressional campaign, Houchin resigned from her Indiana Senate seat on February 4, 2022, ending nearly eight years of service in the state legislature. Her successor in the Indiana Senate's 47th district was Gary Byrne.

Houchin won the Republican primary and advanced to the general election, where she faced the Democratic nominee in a district that leaned heavily Republican. On November 8, 2022, Houchin won the general election, securing the seat and becoming the representative-elect for Indiana's 9th congressional district. Her victory made her the first woman to represent the district in the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. House of Representatives (2023–present)

Houchin was sworn in as the U.S. representative for Indiana's 9th congressional district on January 3, 2023, succeeding Trey Hollingsworth. She has since served in both the 118th and 119th Congresses.

118th Congress (2023–2025)

During the 118th Congress, Houchin established herself as an active legislator. She was recognized as one of the most effective Republican members of Congress in the areas of housing and education, according to an analysis cited by the Indiana Capital Chronicle. The assessment placed her alongside former U.S. Senator Mike Braun — who later became Governor of Indiana — among the most effective Indiana congressional lawmakers in those policy areas during the 118th Congress.

Houchin received backing from the Main Street Republican PAC, an organization associated with the centrist wing of the House Republican caucus, during her tenure.

119th Congress (2025–present)

In the 119th Congress, Houchin assumed the role of Secretary of the House Republican Conference, serving under Speaker Mike Johnson. The position, a leadership role within the Republican caucus, succeeded Representative Lisa McClain in the post.

Houchin has served on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, a prominent committee with jurisdiction over a wide range of policy areas including energy, health care, telecommunications, and commerce. In June 2025, she authored an op-ed published in Newsweek regarding Republican budget legislation, promoted through the committee's official channels.

Legislative Initiatives

Houchin has been involved in several bipartisan and partisan legislative efforts during her congressional tenure. In December 2025, she co-introduced the Parents Over Platforms Act alongside Representative Jake Auchincloss (D-MA). The bipartisan legislation was designed to equip parents with age assurance tools that app stores and developers would be required to respect, addressing growing concerns about children's safety online. The legislation reflected Houchin's focus on family-related policy issues, a theme consistent throughout her political career.

In early 2026, Houchin provided updates to constituents regarding House Republican efforts on tax relief and government funding.

Constituent Services and District Work

Houchin has maintained an active role in addressing constituent concerns and securing funding for projects within Indiana's 9th congressional district. In February 2026, she expressed concern over investigative findings by WAVE News into alleged deceptive maintenance and repair work at the New Albany Housing Authority, indicating she would look into the matter.

Also in February 2026, Houchin participated in the announcement of $1 million in federal Community Project Funding for the Monon South Trail expansion in Lawrence County, joining Mitchell Mayor Don Caudell for the occasion. The federal grant was directed toward expanding trail infrastructure in the district.

Personal Life

Erin Houchin resides in Salem, Indiana, her hometown. She is married to Dustin Houchin, and the couple have three children together. Her family life has been a visible element of her public persona, particularly during her campaigns. The 2016 Roll Call profile on her earlier congressional campaign noted the distinctive role that motherhood played in her candidacy and public identity.

Dustin Houchin has been involved in the legal profession in Indiana. In January 2022, reports indicated that he filed for a Superior Court judge position in the state around the same time that Erin Houchin was preparing her congressional campaign.

The Houchin family's roots in southern Indiana have been a consistent element of her political messaging, with her campaigns emphasizing her connection to the communities within the 9th congressional district.

Recognition

During the 118th Congress, Houchin was identified as one of the most effective Republican lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives in the policy areas of housing and education. The recognition came from an analysis of congressional effectiveness, as reported by the Indiana Capital Chronicle in November 2025. The assessment placed her among a select group of lawmakers who had demonstrated particular legislative productivity and impact in those specific areas.

Her elevation to the position of Secretary of the House Republican Conference in the 119th Congress, a leadership post within the Republican caucus, represented an additional marker of her growing influence within the party's congressional ranks.

Houchin's bipartisan work, including the co-introduction of the Parents Over Platforms Act with a Democratic colleague, has also drawn attention in policy circles focused on children's online safety and technology regulation.

Electoral History

Houchin has run in several competitive elections throughout her political career. Her first electoral victory came in the 2014 Republican primary for the Indiana Senate's 47th district, where she defeated incumbent Richard D. Young. She subsequently won the general election and served in the state senate until her resignation in early 2022.

Her 2016 bid for the U.S. House in Indiana's 9th congressional district ended in the Republican primary, with the nomination ultimately going to Trey Hollingsworth.

In 2022, with Hollingsworth retiring from the seat, Houchin successfully navigated a competitive Republican primary and won the general election to represent Indiana's 9th congressional district. Federal Election Commission records document her campaign filings and financial disclosures for her congressional campaigns.