Lawshe Gains In Recount, But Comes Up Short

The official results of May's Republican primary are officially official.

The Republican candidates for the Warsaw City Council At-Large seats will be Joe Thallemer and Trish Brown. But the final, final results showed the race was even closer than the May results indicated.

In May, the Kosciusko County Clerk's office released the post-primary vote totals showing Thallemer garnering 995 votes and Brown receiving 555, just 9 votes ahead of incumbent Dewey Lawshe, who had 546. Incumbent Tammy Rockey finished fourth with 511.

The recount, requested by Lawshe, showed Thallemer with 994 votes, Brown with 554, Lawshe with 548, and Rockey with 510.

"I'm glad to have the results verified for sure," Lawshe said after the recount board completed its work. "I appreciate that everyone on the board spent the entire day doing the recount I requested."

Despite the results remaining the same, Lawshe said, the exercise drove home the point that every vote matters.

"I wish there was more of a turnout, seeing how it was closer than I thought it was," he said. "It was worth the effort and expense.

"This result doesn't disappoint me. I got over the disappointment in May," Lawshe added. "I don't feel like I lost. I feel that the taxpayers of Warsaw lost."

Lawshe did say that with the primary results now settled, he will be watching with great interest how the general election campaign is conducted,

"I'll be interested to see the 'clean campaign' that was claimed to be desired by one of my opponents after the primary election," Lawshe said.

He was alluding to the statement by Brown, who said after the May 4 primary: "I'm thrilled. Now we'll try and run a clean campaign and win in November."

For her part, Brown said today she was glad to have the recount behind her and was looking forward to the general election campaign.

"I appreciate the election board and the precinct workers for their attention to detail," she said. "We just want to get this recount behind us and move on to the election in November."

Thallemer and Brown will face off against Democrats Pam Cartwright and Ronald Dirck for the two at-large council seats.