GOP Sweeps Local, State And National Races
November 9, 2016 at 7:49 p.m.
By David [email protected]
By 9 p.m. Tuesday, local party leaders reacted as races were called for Republican Todd Young over Democrat Evan Bayh for the open U.S. Senate seat; Republican Eric Holcomb over Democrat John Gregg for governor; incumbent Republican U.S. Rep Jackie Walorski over Democrat challenger Lynn Coleman in the 2nd District; and Republican Jim Banks over Democrat Tommy Schrader in the 3rd District congressional race.
Mike Ragan, Kosciusko Republican Party chairman, was delighted with the Republican sweep through Indiana.
“We’re really excited about Todd Young and Jim Banks, of course,” he said, noting that he hadn’t heard about the governor’s race by 9 p.m. “We’re expecting Holcomb to win. And, of course, with the other victories we’ve had, we’re very pleased that superintendent of public instruction (candidate Jennifer McCormick won) by a very wide margin.”
McCormick beat incumbent and Democrat Glenda Ritz for the superintendent position. Ritz was the only incumbent Democrat on the state ticket.
Late Tuesday, McCormick issued a statement on her win, saying, “I ran for state superintendent because Indiana needs vision and leadership at the Department of Education. Hoosiers listened to our message, and tonight, we have earned the privilege of leading the department for the next four years.
“Superintendent Ritz was a formidable opponent, and I thank her for her four years of service.
“During my campaign, I have emphasized my non-negotiables — the goals which will form the basis for my tenure as state superintendent. The Department of Education will form partnerships with stakeholders, establish a credible assessment system, ensure educators have quality tools and resources, and most importantly, put our students first.
“Thank you for your support and confidence,”?McCormick said.
After Ragan was informed that Coleman conceded to Walorski, he said, “We’re very pleased. It was a lot of work and a very hard-fought campaign, and we’re very pleased with our candidates.”
On winning his race for Indiana’s 3rd District, Banks issued the following statement: "I want to thank the citizens of the 3rd District for this tremendous honor and the opportunity to represent northeast Indiana in Congress.
“Since my campaign began on May 12, 2015, I have focused on a positive, solutions-oriented agenda to address the challenges our country faces. At this critical time, we need substantive conservative leadership rather than more of the failed Washington status quo. I am excited to get to work and fight for our region's priorities, including a stronger national defense, lower taxes, reducing spending, proper care of our veterans, real health care reform, and protecting life and religious liberty,” he said.
“Serving in this new role will mean leaving another. For the past six years, I’ve had the incredible privilege of representing Indiana’s 17th Senate District. I am proud of the progress our state has made during my time as a state senator, and I look forward to telling Washington the story of how conservative policies have worked in Indiana.
"I am grateful to all in northeast Indiana who helped make tonight's victory possible, and I look forward to being your voice in our nation's capital,” Banks stated.
There were several keys in Young beating Bayh for the U.S. Senate seat, Ragan said.
“Todd Young is nonstop. ... He is so involved and so hard-working, everybody wants to be a part of it and they just follow him. We see that over and over, even in Kosciusko County, with the people who have worked hard for Todd. He’s just a great guy to follow,” Ragan stated.
In state representative races, incumbent Republican David Wolkins beat Democrat Dee M. Moore in District 18, and incumbent Republican Curt Nisly beat Democrat Brian Smith in District 22.
Wolkins was pretty optimistic about the Republican victories.
“No one can believe it. It puts faith back in democracy because people were fed up with the way things were going,” he said in a telephone interview this morning.
Wolkins, 73, said he was very humbled with his win because he didn’t do a lot of campaigning and Moore did a lot on social media.
He announced that this will be his last term. By the end of the next term he will have served 30 years.
Wolkins said his district now goes down into Wabash and he’s in the northern end of his district so it would make more sense for someone in the Wabash area to serve the district.
“I’ve enjoyed it. It’s been a real privilege and I’ve met some amazing people in Kosciusko County,” Wolkins said.
He stated he was surprised Gregg and Ritz lost, but said it must have been because of Clinton. A lot of guys are still office holders, he said, because of Trump.
Now that the Republicans will be in charge, Wolkins stated, “We’re going to have to lead or they will throw us out.”
“I don’t know how Donald will deliver on everything he said. I think he’ll build the wall because that’s how he started (his campaign) off,” Wolkins said, adding that Obamacare also will likely be on Trump’s list.
“I just hope he surrounds himself with good people,” he said.
In the only local state senate race, Republican Blake Doriot beat Democrat Carl Rust for the District 12 seat. Doriot sought the seat in the May primary after Republican incumbent Carlin Yoder announced he wouldn’t seek re-election.
“It’s a humbling responsibility,” Doriot told The Elkhart Truth of being elected while attending the Republican Election Night party in Elkhart. “It’s a big responsibility.”
On the other side of the political spectrum, Kosciusko County Democratic Party Chairman David Kolbe said the results as of late Tuesday night in Indiana weren’t unexpected.
“Those results aren’t surprising. They’re disappointing,” Kolbe said. “I felt it would be close in the governor’s race. ... We knew Evan Bayh was facing an uphill battle as we approached the wire here. Kosciusko County is traditionally very, very red. We know that. Our effort was just to get as much as a percentage here as we could.”
Clinton didn’t concede to Trump until about 2 a.m. today. At around 9 p.m. Tuesday, as Kolbe was at the county justice building, the race was still close.
“So what it represents again is, we have a very divided nation. I think it’s obvious. We happen to be in the Heartland; it’s very red. The Coast and the upper Midwest are very blue and perhaps the deep south. So we’re going to have to really work hard to try and come together regardless of who takes office,” Kolbe stated.
It will take a lot of work to bring the nation back together, he said.
“I have been very clear before this day that I think Mr. Trump does not have the capacity to do that. For him, I think it’s going to take people around him who are able to step up. I think Hillary Clinton is very capable of bringing together and serving as she did as a senator and secretary of state. So for me, if it’s Mr. Trump, it’s a darker time for our nation and a troubling time,” Kolbe stated.
By 9 p.m. Tuesday, local party leaders reacted as races were called for Republican Todd Young over Democrat Evan Bayh for the open U.S. Senate seat; Republican Eric Holcomb over Democrat John Gregg for governor; incumbent Republican U.S. Rep Jackie Walorski over Democrat challenger Lynn Coleman in the 2nd District; and Republican Jim Banks over Democrat Tommy Schrader in the 3rd District congressional race.
Mike Ragan, Kosciusko Republican Party chairman, was delighted with the Republican sweep through Indiana.
“We’re really excited about Todd Young and Jim Banks, of course,” he said, noting that he hadn’t heard about the governor’s race by 9 p.m. “We’re expecting Holcomb to win. And, of course, with the other victories we’ve had, we’re very pleased that superintendent of public instruction (candidate Jennifer McCormick won) by a very wide margin.”
McCormick beat incumbent and Democrat Glenda Ritz for the superintendent position. Ritz was the only incumbent Democrat on the state ticket.
Late Tuesday, McCormick issued a statement on her win, saying, “I ran for state superintendent because Indiana needs vision and leadership at the Department of Education. Hoosiers listened to our message, and tonight, we have earned the privilege of leading the department for the next four years.
“Superintendent Ritz was a formidable opponent, and I thank her for her four years of service.
“During my campaign, I have emphasized my non-negotiables — the goals which will form the basis for my tenure as state superintendent. The Department of Education will form partnerships with stakeholders, establish a credible assessment system, ensure educators have quality tools and resources, and most importantly, put our students first.
“Thank you for your support and confidence,”?McCormick said.
After Ragan was informed that Coleman conceded to Walorski, he said, “We’re very pleased. It was a lot of work and a very hard-fought campaign, and we’re very pleased with our candidates.”
On winning his race for Indiana’s 3rd District, Banks issued the following statement: "I want to thank the citizens of the 3rd District for this tremendous honor and the opportunity to represent northeast Indiana in Congress.
“Since my campaign began on May 12, 2015, I have focused on a positive, solutions-oriented agenda to address the challenges our country faces. At this critical time, we need substantive conservative leadership rather than more of the failed Washington status quo. I am excited to get to work and fight for our region's priorities, including a stronger national defense, lower taxes, reducing spending, proper care of our veterans, real health care reform, and protecting life and religious liberty,” he said.
“Serving in this new role will mean leaving another. For the past six years, I’ve had the incredible privilege of representing Indiana’s 17th Senate District. I am proud of the progress our state has made during my time as a state senator, and I look forward to telling Washington the story of how conservative policies have worked in Indiana.
"I am grateful to all in northeast Indiana who helped make tonight's victory possible, and I look forward to being your voice in our nation's capital,” Banks stated.
There were several keys in Young beating Bayh for the U.S. Senate seat, Ragan said.
“Todd Young is nonstop. ... He is so involved and so hard-working, everybody wants to be a part of it and they just follow him. We see that over and over, even in Kosciusko County, with the people who have worked hard for Todd. He’s just a great guy to follow,” Ragan stated.
In state representative races, incumbent Republican David Wolkins beat Democrat Dee M. Moore in District 18, and incumbent Republican Curt Nisly beat Democrat Brian Smith in District 22.
Wolkins was pretty optimistic about the Republican victories.
“No one can believe it. It puts faith back in democracy because people were fed up with the way things were going,” he said in a telephone interview this morning.
Wolkins, 73, said he was very humbled with his win because he didn’t do a lot of campaigning and Moore did a lot on social media.
He announced that this will be his last term. By the end of the next term he will have served 30 years.
Wolkins said his district now goes down into Wabash and he’s in the northern end of his district so it would make more sense for someone in the Wabash area to serve the district.
“I’ve enjoyed it. It’s been a real privilege and I’ve met some amazing people in Kosciusko County,” Wolkins said.
He stated he was surprised Gregg and Ritz lost, but said it must have been because of Clinton. A lot of guys are still office holders, he said, because of Trump.
Now that the Republicans will be in charge, Wolkins stated, “We’re going to have to lead or they will throw us out.”
“I don’t know how Donald will deliver on everything he said. I think he’ll build the wall because that’s how he started (his campaign) off,” Wolkins said, adding that Obamacare also will likely be on Trump’s list.
“I just hope he surrounds himself with good people,” he said.
In the only local state senate race, Republican Blake Doriot beat Democrat Carl Rust for the District 12 seat. Doriot sought the seat in the May primary after Republican incumbent Carlin Yoder announced he wouldn’t seek re-election.
“It’s a humbling responsibility,” Doriot told The Elkhart Truth of being elected while attending the Republican Election Night party in Elkhart. “It’s a big responsibility.”
On the other side of the political spectrum, Kosciusko County Democratic Party Chairman David Kolbe said the results as of late Tuesday night in Indiana weren’t unexpected.
“Those results aren’t surprising. They’re disappointing,” Kolbe said. “I felt it would be close in the governor’s race. ... We knew Evan Bayh was facing an uphill battle as we approached the wire here. Kosciusko County is traditionally very, very red. We know that. Our effort was just to get as much as a percentage here as we could.”
Clinton didn’t concede to Trump until about 2 a.m. today. At around 9 p.m. Tuesday, as Kolbe was at the county justice building, the race was still close.
“So what it represents again is, we have a very divided nation. I think it’s obvious. We happen to be in the Heartland; it’s very red. The Coast and the upper Midwest are very blue and perhaps the deep south. So we’re going to have to really work hard to try and come together regardless of who takes office,” Kolbe stated.
It will take a lot of work to bring the nation back together, he said.
“I have been very clear before this day that I think Mr. Trump does not have the capacity to do that. For him, I think it’s going to take people around him who are able to step up. I think Hillary Clinton is very capable of bringing together and serving as she did as a senator and secretary of state. So for me, if it’s Mr. Trump, it’s a darker time for our nation and a troubling time,” Kolbe stated.
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