Connor’s business skills helps Indiana veterans

Many esteemed individuals ran for state Senate during the 2022 Indiana primary election, and Todd Connor is one of the many names who stand out. Connor is a businessman, veteran, and community leader who is dedicated to the Region.
Connor decided to run for state Senate when he realized the need for responsible individuals to lead elections and saw opportunity for growth in The Region.
“Democracy experts rank the United States at 28th in the world as a flawed democracy. We need responsible citizens to change our election systems in states like Indiana to prevent the polarization that is crippling this country and allowing bad actors to feed us bad information. Here in the Region, I see an opportunity for significant economic growth and as someone who has started businesses, I had a vision for how to lead the Region and advocate for what is possible here,” Connor said.
Connor’s ambition for Indiana revolves around economic growth and transformation. He wants to move forward instead of staying with traditional ways of doing things, especially pre-pandemic ideologies, and make the future more economically stable.
“We can’t pretend that things will go back to the way they were and need to position ourselves to create the future we aspire to. If we simply have low taxes and low regulation, we risk attracting low wage economies like Amazon warehouses and low wage logistics companies. We need to attract economies and businesses of the future, like clean energy,” Connor said.
Connor stands by a strict set of values that allow him to stay grounded and committed to his career, even when it is easy to stray from the path he set out on.
“My number one value is fairness. I resent people feeling excluded, whether it’s on the playground or in our politics. Another is equality. People should be able to be who they are and have full access to opportunity, just as much as everyone else. Innovation is another value. Old systems deliver yesterday’s results. I believe we need innovation to address the climate crisis, political polarization, economic growth opportunities in The Region, and innovation in other facets of our life to get better results,” Connor said.
Connor’s time as a business owner, soldier in the Navy, and other positions have shaped him on personal and political levels. This has allowed him to stay true to his values and have honest ambitions for Indiana and the Region.
“I have seen people lose their way morally and ethically, and being in the Navy really created a strong value system in me to understand right from wrong. Even though I am a progressive Democrat, I really just want our political system to be funcional. I want politicians who are willing to lose to do the right thing, don’t want to make service a career, and who clearly understand what isn’t working today and have a plan to fix it,” Connor said.
Joining the military at a young age is a decision that Connor credits with shaping his life in the most profound way. He believes that it made him more resilient and passionate. It also led to him forming Bunker Labs, an organization geared towards helping veterans learn entrepreneurship skills and start their own businesses.
“Joining the military when I was 18 years old is probably the most profound decision that has positively affected everything that has come since. There are moments, I believe, where you face the very thing that scares and excites you and you decide whether or not to push forward. It turns out the more you do it, the easier it becomes. Launching Bunker Labs was a proud moment for me because I saw how young military veterans who wanted to start businesses were now going to have the community and the resources to do that,” Connor said.
Connor’s life experiences have inspired him to give a word of advice to young people.
“I served in the Navy during Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and my husband and I have been married since 2011. I think of myself as being traditional in many respects, even though society has not always seen me as such. Don’t be afraid to just be who you are and let society see you for who you are. We need young people’s leadership now. Our society depends on morally grounded, hard working, and empathetic people to make it work, so if you see something that doesn’t look right to you, don’t assume someone else will have the answer. Step forward and make our society as you would wish to see it,” Connor said.
Connor’s dedication to equality and veteran’s affairs is inspirational and shows great character.