Goshert Wins Sheriff's Race

William "Rocky" Goshert won the highly contested sheriff's race with 57.89 percent of the Republican vote in Tuesday's Kosciusko County primary election.

"I'm very happy," Goshert said from Harris and Harris law office on Buffalo Street. "I feel very fortunate God gave us the opportunity to do this.

"I'm thankful for all the people who helped us going door-to-door and putting out our message. They didn't listen to outside influences."

The Republican candidate will face Democrat Jim Bumbaugh in November. Bumbaugh received 864 Democratic Party votes.

Goshert received 5,211 votes. Samuel Whitaker received 2,908 votes or 32.31 percent, and Louis "Bill" Brown received 882 votes or 9.8 percent.

In the race for the southern district's county commissioner, newcomer Robert "Bob" Conley garnered 216 more votes than officeholder Avis Gunter and 1,468 more votes than candidate Christy Carpenter.

All of the contestants are from Claypool.

"It was a hard-fought battle," Conley said after the election results were tallied. "Avis is a tremendously formidable opponent."

Gunter is a three-term commissioner. She is the first woman to hold the office.

Conley thanked his supporters, his family "especially from my wife," he said, laughing. "I'm so happy. I look forward to serving. I look forward to the whole process."

The Democrats offered no challenger for the commissioner's seat during the primary.

Conley earned 40.10 percent of the vote; Gunter, 37.03 percent; and Carpenter, 22.87 percent.

A political party may fill a vacancy on the general election ballot due to a primary election ballot vacancy by noon June 30.

Former circuit court clerk Marsha McSherry won her bid for the county auditor's office, earning 60.28 percent of the vote (5,109 votes). McSherry also is the vice chairman of the Republican Central Committee and a veteran precinct committeewoman.

Opponents Marie Sarber had 28.70 percent of the vote (2,432 votes), and Luke Rodriguez received 11.02 percent (934 votes).

"I'm very excited about working with the county commissioners and the council," McSherry said. She will not take office until January 2008 because the auditor's post is a holdover position. "Sue Ann (Mitchell, the current auditor) has a very good staff of people and has done an excellent job."

She said she hoped her challengers stay involved in the political process. "They ran a good race," she said of Sarber and Rodriguez.

In the other contested county races, incumbent John Kinsey received 1,451 or 59.18 percent of the votes over George E. Klinger, who received 1,001 or 40.82 percent.

Deborah Wulliman won the nod for recorder, receiving 62.37 percent (5,083 votes) over opponent Judy Snipes who had 37.63 percent of the vote (3,067 votes).

Tippecanoe Township Assessor Dorothy Biesemeyer received 50 percent of the vote, winning over challengers Stephanie Esenwein with 36.59 percent of the vote and Janice Williams with 13.41 percent of the vote.

There were upsets in several township elections.

Challengers won each contested race for trustee, tipping out incumbents in Wayne, Tippecanoe and Jackson townships.

The three-way Wayne Township Trustee's race was won by Sheila Burner, who had 42.42 percent of the vote (1,502 votes). Burner works in the township trustee's office.

LaShawn Brumfield received 36.46 percent, or 1,291 votes. Incumbent Daniel Slone received 21.12 percent of the vote (748 votes).

In the Tippecanoe Township Trustee's race, Thomas Reiff beat incumbent Alyssa J Schmucker with a vote of 505 to 336.

Only one Tippecanoe Township board incumbent will proceed to the general election. Current board member James Rhodes received the most votes, 624, followed by Steve Ward, 451; Richard Mitchell, 439; incumbent Danny Conkling, 372; Thomas Williams, 285; and incumbent Arlus Schaefer, 194. The three candidates receiving the most votes appear on the November ballot.

In Jackson Township, Gwen Ostrom received 66.87 percent of the vote (109 votes) for trustee over incumbent Joseph Kinch, who received 33.13 percent (54 votes).

Again, only one incumbent got the nod to return to the township advisory board. Newcomers Marcia Dierks received 98 votes; David M. Metzger received 82 votes; and incumbent Ray Fisher received 60 votes in the Jackson Township Board election. Other contestants were Michael Day, 59 votes; incumbent Fred Kinch, 42; incumbent Joyce Sherwin, 39; Chad Michael, 38; Tom Brainard, 37; and Carolyn Wallen, 22.