Local Political Parties Choose New Leadership
March 6, 2017 at 5:16 p.m.
By Dan [email protected]
Both parties met simultaneously at different locations in Warsaw Saturday morning as county parties across the state reorganized.
Republicans, meeting at the old courthouse, chose to give Mike Ragan a full term after he stepped up as chairman Aug. 3.
Democrats, meanwhile, met at Red Apple restaurant and filled the vacancy left by the resignation of chairman David Kolbe and elected Brian Smith as chairman.
Ragan took over in August after then-chairman Randy Girod stepped down due to family issues.
With three months left before the general election, Ragan helped organize two political party events and ran the party’s temporary office.
He also helped provide U.S. Senate candidate Todd Young with his strongest margin of victory in northern Indiana in his race against Evan Bayh.
“It was a good basic training for me,” Ragan said.
Ragan, who is retired and lives in Warsaw, said he will work to see that the party is more active in local parades.
“This central committee wants to be actively involved in county events that maybe we haven’t been very good participants in past years,” Ragan said.
Republicans have two events coming up in April. On April 5 is a fish fry and on April 27, the party will host its Lincoln Day Dinner, he said.
Republicans filled out their top positions by re-electing Marsha McSherry as vice chair, a position she’s held for several terms. Also elected were C. Austin Rovenstine as secretary and Jim Heierman as treasurer.
For local Democrats, the effort to expand its base in an environment that is heavily Republican continues.
Smith pointed to a glimmer of success by noting that Kosciusko County was no longer among the reddest of the red counties in the state.
Kosciusko County supported Romney with 76 percent of the vote in 2012 while Trump won 74 percent in 2016.
Wells County, near Fort Wayne, is regarded as the reddest in the state after 76 percent of its voters supported Trump in 2016.
“We did move the needle a little bit,” Smith said.
Smith, 28, works at Parker Hannifin in Goshen. He lives in Leesburg.
Smith ran unsuccessfully in 2016 for state representative in District 22 against incumbent Republican Curt Nisly.
Going forward, Smith said he wants to upgrade the local party’s social media presence and continue to attract more supporters.
“I feel we’re moving to the left in Kosciusko County,” Smith said. “I’d like to accelerate that trend.”
Recent meetings of the party faithful have seen bigger turnouts since the election, Smith said.
“They’re just very alarmed at some of what the current president is saying and some of his actions. It’s scaring a lot of people and they’re looking to get involved,” Smith said.
Democrats rounded out their top positions by electing Vicki Morton as vice chair, Jama Owens Brown as secretary and Joseph Rauen as treasurer.
Smith expressed appreciation with Kolbe’s efforts during his tenure. He credited Kolbe with improving the party’s organization, filling key spots at Election Day polling places and filling nearly all of the party’s precinct positions.
“Overall, David has done a phenomenal job of moving the Democrat Party in the left direction,” Smith said.
Both parties met simultaneously at different locations in Warsaw Saturday morning as county parties across the state reorganized.
Republicans, meeting at the old courthouse, chose to give Mike Ragan a full term after he stepped up as chairman Aug. 3.
Democrats, meanwhile, met at Red Apple restaurant and filled the vacancy left by the resignation of chairman David Kolbe and elected Brian Smith as chairman.
Ragan took over in August after then-chairman Randy Girod stepped down due to family issues.
With three months left before the general election, Ragan helped organize two political party events and ran the party’s temporary office.
He also helped provide U.S. Senate candidate Todd Young with his strongest margin of victory in northern Indiana in his race against Evan Bayh.
“It was a good basic training for me,” Ragan said.
Ragan, who is retired and lives in Warsaw, said he will work to see that the party is more active in local parades.
“This central committee wants to be actively involved in county events that maybe we haven’t been very good participants in past years,” Ragan said.
Republicans have two events coming up in April. On April 5 is a fish fry and on April 27, the party will host its Lincoln Day Dinner, he said.
Republicans filled out their top positions by re-electing Marsha McSherry as vice chair, a position she’s held for several terms. Also elected were C. Austin Rovenstine as secretary and Jim Heierman as treasurer.
For local Democrats, the effort to expand its base in an environment that is heavily Republican continues.
Smith pointed to a glimmer of success by noting that Kosciusko County was no longer among the reddest of the red counties in the state.
Kosciusko County supported Romney with 76 percent of the vote in 2012 while Trump won 74 percent in 2016.
Wells County, near Fort Wayne, is regarded as the reddest in the state after 76 percent of its voters supported Trump in 2016.
“We did move the needle a little bit,” Smith said.
Smith, 28, works at Parker Hannifin in Goshen. He lives in Leesburg.
Smith ran unsuccessfully in 2016 for state representative in District 22 against incumbent Republican Curt Nisly.
Going forward, Smith said he wants to upgrade the local party’s social media presence and continue to attract more supporters.
“I feel we’re moving to the left in Kosciusko County,” Smith said. “I’d like to accelerate that trend.”
Recent meetings of the party faithful have seen bigger turnouts since the election, Smith said.
“They’re just very alarmed at some of what the current president is saying and some of his actions. It’s scaring a lot of people and they’re looking to get involved,” Smith said.
Democrats rounded out their top positions by electing Vicki Morton as vice chair, Jama Owens Brown as secretary and Joseph Rauen as treasurer.
Smith expressed appreciation with Kolbe’s efforts during his tenure. He credited Kolbe with improving the party’s organization, filling key spots at Election Day polling places and filling nearly all of the party’s precinct positions.
“Overall, David has done a phenomenal job of moving the Democrat Party in the left direction,” Smith said.
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