Representative Brian Kerns

Brian Douglas Kerns (born May 22, 1957) is an American journalist and politician who served as a Republican Representative from Indiana’s 7th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 2001, to January 3, 2003. His single term in Congress coincided with a significant period in American history, and he participated actively in the legislative process as a member of the Republican Party, representing the interests of his Indiana constituents.

Kerns was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, on May 22, 1957. He was educated in Indiana and went on to attend Indiana State University, where he earned both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.). His ties to public service extended into his family life as well; he is the son-in-law of longtime Indiana Representative John T. Myers. Kerns married Myers’s daughter, and he and his wife have five children, anchoring his political career in a strong family and regional base.

Before entering elective office, Kerns built a career that combined media, academia, and congressional staff work. He worked as a television journalist, gaining experience in communications and public affairs. He later served as an administrator at St. Joseph’s College in Indiana, where he was involved in institutional management and higher education administration. Kerns also developed substantial experience on Capitol Hill as an aide to Representative Edward A. Pease of Indiana. Rising through Pease’s office, he ultimately served as Pease’s chief of staff, a role that provided him with detailed knowledge of legislative procedures, constituent services, and federal policy-making.

Kerns’s transition from congressional staff to member of Congress came in 2000, when Representative Pease chose to retire. That year, Kerns entered the race for Pease’s seat and won a crowded 12-way Republican primary, demonstrating significant support within the party. In the subsequent general election, he prevailed decisively, winning close to 65 percent of the vote. He took office on January 3, 2001, as the Representative from Indiana’s 7th congressional district, a district that at the time stretched from Terre Haute to West Lafayette, Indiana.

During his term in Congress from 2001 to 2003, Kerns served on the House Committee on International Relations and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. His legislative interests included a range of social and policy issues. He was an advocate for gun rights and worked on efforts to ban human cloning, reflecting his engagement with emerging ethical and scientific questions of the early 21st century. He also played a role in bringing closure to the Lafayette Railroad Relocation Project, an important infrastructure and transportation initiative for his region. Notably, during his time in Congress, Kerns never missed a single vote, underscoring a record of consistent participation in the House’s deliberations.

Kerns’s congressional career was significantly affected by redistricting following the 2000 United States census. His 7th district, which had extended from Terre Haute to West Lafayette, was eliminated in the redrawing of Indiana’s congressional map. Most of the territory he had represented was placed into the newly created 4th district, which had previously been numbered the 5th and was represented by fellow Republican Steve Buyer. At the same time, Kerns’s home in Terre Haute was drawn into the Evansville-based 8th district, represented by Republican John Hostettler. Rather than challenge Hostettler for the Republican nomination in the 8th district, Kerns chose to move to Hendricks County in order to seek election in the reconfigured 4th district. He ran against Buyer in the Republican primary but was unsuccessful, bringing his service in Congress to a close on January 3, 2003.

After leaving Congress, Kerns did not return to the House of Representatives, but his brief tenure remains notable for his unbroken voting record, his work on transportation and social issues, and his role in representing Indiana during a period of national and international change. He continues to be recognized as a former journalist, academic administrator, congressional aide, and one-term United States Representative from Indiana.