The Kosciusko County Republican and Democrat parties have scheduled reorganization meeting to elect party officials. Kosciusko County GOP will have a reorganization meeting March 2 at 10 a.m. at the old circuit court room of the Kosciusko County Courthouse. The meeting is for precinct committee members and vice members to elect a GOP chairman, vice chair, secretary, and treasurer. The Kosciusko County Democrat party will hold a reorganization meeting also on March 2 at 10 a.m. at its headquarters at 417 E. Winona Ave. to elect a chair, co-chair, treasurer, and secretary. Precinct committee members are eligible to elect a GOP and Democrat chairman. The vice chair, secretary and treasurer will be nominated from the floor during the meeting. Current GOP leadership includes Randy Girod, GOP chair; Marsha McSherry, vice chair; Christy Polk, secretary; and Steve Foster, treasurer. Current Democrat leadership includes Terry Bartley, chair; Lee Ann Brown, vice chair; Arthur Brown, secretary; and John Bonitati, treasurer. Girod is seeking re-election to the county GOP seat, to which he was elected four years ago. “I believe in the Republican party and have worked to promote GOP candidates at all levels, and want to maintain a strong Republican heritage in Kosciusko County,” Girod said. Girod previously served as Kosciusko County prosecuting attorney from 1991 to 1994 and was chief deputy prosecuting attorney from 1986 to 1990. He has served as a precinct committeeman for 29 years and as campaign chairman and treasurer for various candidates. He was a county coordinator for GOP nominee for the Senate, Dan Quayle, and former Indiana governor candidate Linley Pearson, who ran against Evan Bayh. Mike Ragan has announced that he is a candidate for the position of the Kosciusko County Republican Party chairman. He is a retired businessman and has been married to his wife, Deanna, for 45 years. Ragan was born and raised in Kosciusko County and comes from several generations in this area, including ancestors who fought in the Civil War. Ragan is a current elected precinct committeeman and says he is a pro-life, pro-family, fiscally conservative Republican. “I had been asked for several months to be the candidate, but I resisted. However, I was in a meeting a couple of weeks ago with some long-time friends and business leaders who prodded me to run,” Ragan said. “We ran this proposal past several other local Republican leaders for confirmation, and was soon convinced I needed to run.“ Ragan said he thinks he can be more inclusive and get more people involved. “I believe I have some very positive ideas to help improve our party and am excited to have this opportunity to serve,” Ragan said.
