Indiana is a donor state when it comes to funding for transportation and infrastructure, he said. For every $1 Hoosiers pay at the gas pump on federal gasoline taxes, Indiana receives back no more than 92 cents.

He wants to bring back more of that money to Indiana, which he believes would help communities with their economic development efforts.

Last year, $40 billion was available for transportation/ infrastructure projects, he said. "I think we can do a better job in Indiana of securing more of what we give at the gas pump," he said.

He also advocates certain measures to help improve the U.S. economy, he said. He believes Congress needs to do a better job of ensuring fair trading practices between the U.S. and other countries.

Countries such as China don't have to abide by the same labor, environmental and occupational/safety laws and regulations that U.S. companies do, he said. "That puts American companies at a disadvantage," he said. "I'm a proponent of free trade as long as it"s all on a level playing field."

He also believes both Republicans and Democrats need to be held accountable for what he calls the TRL syndrome: taxation, regulation and litigation.

Citizens in the 8th District tell him they want a fiscal conservative in Washington who will do everything possible to help lower taxes, decrease regulation and "help small business with some protections from our sue-happy environment," Goode said. Asked his position on the war in Iraq, Goode said he supported Gen. David Petraeus' call for troop reinforcements, and he believes that progress is being made in Iraq.

He sees Iraq as "one battlefield in the war on terror and the U.S. has to do everything it can to support the troops & I would want to do everything I can as a U.S. congressman to support military decision-makers and empower them to make the tough decisions to win over there."

He also suggested the president and Congress look deeper at overall national security policies as far as where troops are stationed around the world.

"We follow a Cold War military doctrine," which, in turn, is placing a heavy burden on National Guardsmen and women and military reservists.

The United States may need to "shed some of that Cold War thinking and embrace new ways of thinking to better position us to deal with the threats of the 21st century," Goode said. He believes the year 2008 will one day be regarded as one of the most pivotal political years in the nation's history. "Our country faces so many threats and yet there exists so many opportunities," Goode said. "I'm a Christian first, then an American, then a conservative and then a Republican, in that order," Goode said. "I'm not running against Brad Ellsworth, Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. I'm running against Washington."

Americans are looking for change, he said, "and many are still trying to figure out what that change should look like."

Last September, Goode resigned his position as chief public and government affairs officer with Indiana State University to focus fully on the congressional campaign.

A Terre Haute South Vigo High School graduate, Goode also has two degrees from ISU and is working toward a doctorate from Virginia Tech University in public administration and policy. Goode was at ISU from 2002 until 2007. Immediately prior to that, he served as chief of staff for former Congressman Brian Kerns from 2000 to 2001.

From 1996 until 2000, Goode worked as one of former Congressman Ed Pease's aides with a focus on national security, transportation and education.

"The federal government has designated I-69 as a corridor from Texas to Michigan - that's an important step," Dietrick said.

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