Bonitati, Fanning Announce Runs on Democratic Ticket
Posted
Daniel Riordan-driordan@timesuniononline.com
Kosciusko County Democrats are looking to fill up ballots in both the May primary and November general election this year.
John Bonitati, a Warsaw resident, announced Monday in front of the Kosciusko County Justice Building that he intends to seek the democratic nomination for the District 22 State House of Representatives seat currently held by Republican Rebecca Kubacki.
“In declaring my candidacy for the Indiana House of Representatives, I vow to stand up for middle-class families and workers that have been under attack from, not conservative, but regressive Republican programs,” said Bonitati.
Bonitati struck out against pending Right To Work legislation as a reason for his run.
“The end result will be lower wages and benefits for not only union workers but all Indiana workers as union wages set the benchmark for their industry sectors.”
Bonitati also said if he is elected he will restore funding to public education.
“I am offering voters a clear choice,” said Bonitati. “I ask for your support to bring progressive, common-sense solutions to issues facing Indiana residents.”
Bonitati is a marketing manager at DePuy.
Also Monday, Brian Fanning, a union steward and employee at DePuy, also said he is seeking public office.
Fanning is currently deciding on whether to run against Bonitati in the primary or for a local office.
Fanning said if he were to run against Bonitati in the democratic primary, the race would be civil and would be about creating ideas to help the middle class.
Fanning, a Syracuse resident, could also run for a county council at-large seat or as a county commissioner in the northern district against incumbent Republican Brad Jackson.
Before Bonitati and Fanning made their announcements, Kosciusko County Democratic Chairman Terry Bartley made a statement regarding the Right To Work forum Sunday.
Bartley said he was unaware that Rep. David Wolkins (R- Winona Lake) was in a hospital in Indianapolis and that’s why he was unable to attend Sunday’s meeting. Bartley said had he known he would have made mention of it at the meeting.
Bartley said he knew Wolkins was under the weather but didn’t know until after the forum he was in Indianapolis.
“We wish him a speedy recovery,” said Bartley.
Bartley said that he not only feels confident that he can get a Democrat to contest every election in this year’s election cycle, but also put Democrats in the seats currently occupied by Kubacki and Wolkins.
