Sheriff’s Debate Tuesday Night
April 14, 2018 at 3:01 a.m.
By Dan [email protected]
You might want to head to Warsaw Community High School Tuesday night.
That’s when voters will get their best chance to size up the four candidates running for sheriff in the Republican primary as they converge at the Performing Arts Center at the high school for a formal debate.
Much is on the line in the Republican primary since local Democrats don’t have a candidate.
Candidates include Chris Rager, a deputy with the sheriff’s department; county coroner Tony Ciriello; incumbent Sheriff Rocky Goshert; and Indiana State Police trooper Kyle Dukes.
The candidates are all actively campaigning, as evidenced by a large number of campaign signs spread across the county.
The debate also represents the first chance for the newly minted League of Women Voters of North Central Indiana to get involved.
Also helping organize the event are the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce and the Times-Union.
The League of Women Voters is considered non-partisan and is known for organizing debates and supporting voter registration efforts.
Jama Owens Brown, one of the lead organizers of the group who serves as the chapter president, said she believes it is important for a nonpartisan group to get involved because it allows voters to hear from candidates outside of specific party’s platform or ideas that might dictate the conversation.
“It allows the opportunity for voters across the board to have an informed choice,” Owens Brown said.
The event is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. and will feature questions from the public selected by the League.
Organizers are still accepting questions, which can be submitted by emailing them to [email protected]. Deadline to submit questions is 5 p.m. Monday.
The format also will provide a chance for candidates to respond if their opponents mention them by name, Owens Brown said.
The field, she said, is the first in a long time featuring four sheriffs candidates with “really good ground games.”
Having a forum for those who have not met the candidates will provide a glimpse into the candidates’ plans and outlook for the department, she said.
For many, the race boils down to whether the next officeholder should come from within the department or outside after Aaron Rovenstine stepped down from the office in 2017 after pleading guilty to a single felony charge after originally facing 11 charges.
Goshert was chosen by a Republican caucus to serve out Rovenstine’s remaining term and then opted to run again. He was previously elected to two terms as sheriff.
The debate appears to be the one chance all four candidates will gather to offer their plans and opinions.
Another debate is being planned for a week from Tuesday at the same location for several other races. Those are the southern district county commissioners and State House races for Districts 18 and 22.
You might want to head to Warsaw Community High School Tuesday night.
That’s when voters will get their best chance to size up the four candidates running for sheriff in the Republican primary as they converge at the Performing Arts Center at the high school for a formal debate.
Much is on the line in the Republican primary since local Democrats don’t have a candidate.
Candidates include Chris Rager, a deputy with the sheriff’s department; county coroner Tony Ciriello; incumbent Sheriff Rocky Goshert; and Indiana State Police trooper Kyle Dukes.
The candidates are all actively campaigning, as evidenced by a large number of campaign signs spread across the county.
The debate also represents the first chance for the newly minted League of Women Voters of North Central Indiana to get involved.
Also helping organize the event are the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce and the Times-Union.
The League of Women Voters is considered non-partisan and is known for organizing debates and supporting voter registration efforts.
Jama Owens Brown, one of the lead organizers of the group who serves as the chapter president, said she believes it is important for a nonpartisan group to get involved because it allows voters to hear from candidates outside of specific party’s platform or ideas that might dictate the conversation.
“It allows the opportunity for voters across the board to have an informed choice,” Owens Brown said.
The event is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. and will feature questions from the public selected by the League.
Organizers are still accepting questions, which can be submitted by emailing them to [email protected]. Deadline to submit questions is 5 p.m. Monday.
The format also will provide a chance for candidates to respond if their opponents mention them by name, Owens Brown said.
The field, she said, is the first in a long time featuring four sheriffs candidates with “really good ground games.”
Having a forum for those who have not met the candidates will provide a glimpse into the candidates’ plans and outlook for the department, she said.
For many, the race boils down to whether the next officeholder should come from within the department or outside after Aaron Rovenstine stepped down from the office in 2017 after pleading guilty to a single felony charge after originally facing 11 charges.
Goshert was chosen by a Republican caucus to serve out Rovenstine’s remaining term and then opted to run again. He was previously elected to two terms as sheriff.
The debate appears to be the one chance all four candidates will gather to offer their plans and opinions.
Another debate is being planned for a week from Tuesday at the same location for several other races. Those are the southern district county commissioners and State House races for Districts 18 and 22.
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