It’s been a busy 18 months for Republican precinct committee members in Kosciusko County.
The GOP’s Leesburg caucus Tuesday was the 10th in 18 months if you include County GOP chairman Mike Ragan’s election to replace former GOP chair Randy Girod in August 2016 and the March 2017 Republican re-organization, according to Ragan.
That means eight open elected seats have been filled through caucuses since Ragan took over. Reasons for the openings have ranged from a death, a criminal conviction and one candidate who unwittingly moved out of the district.
Tuesday’s caucus in Leesburg was needed after the resignation of town council member Larry Richey and resulted in a unique situation in which just one committeeman, Tom Moore, cast the lone vote because the town of Leesburg falls completely within Plain 2 Precinct.
Some found the circumstances a bit odd.
“I?think it would be a good idea to split it up,” Ragan said, thereby leaving future decisions to two precinct committee people.
Ragan said he believes the town of Burket also has just one precinct committee person, while Mentone has two.
“It doesn’t happen very often, but with some of these smaller communities, that’s just the way it is,” Ragan said.
2ND DISTRICT SHIFT – In a somewhat surprising development, Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan newsletter that analyzes campaign races, reported Thursday that Indiana’s 2nd Congressional District, represented by Republican Jackie Walorski, has been shifted from “solid” Republican to “leaning” Republican.
The third-term incumbent is being challenged by three Democrats: Mel Hall, Pat Hackett and Yatish Joshi.
A release from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee suggested the change was due to strong recent fundraising for Hall.
The 2nd District is one of 21 House races that the report has shifted “toward” Democrats. Among those is Michigan lawmaker Fred Upton, who represents the 6th District just north of the 2nd District. That rating was also moved from solid Republican to leaning Republican.
KOLBE, THE AUTHOR - Former prosecutor David Kolbe, a longtime defense attorney in Kosciusko County, is working on a book that will chronicle his 37 years “as a small town lawyer and prosecutor.”
The book is sure to have some eye-opening stories, and Kolbe offered glimpses of at least two, including one about a judge who he said hated him. You can find those teasers on Kolbe’s Facebook page.
No release date is set for the book, “Seeking Justice,” but Kolbe said he’s shooting for sometime this spring.
OLD FEISTY SPEECH –Austin Rovenstine, who serves as secretary for the Kosciusko County Republican Party, has a fondness for local history and often posts little nuggets on his Facebook page.
Recently appearing on his page was a quote from Isaac Kirkendall, the first sheriff of Kosciusko County, who gave a short but sweet speech in 1836:
"Gentlemen, I am a candidate for sheriff, and if you elect me, and any of you need hanging while I am in office, I will hang you dead as hell."
He said he found the quote through a website that tracks the history of Dewart Lake.
ABORTION BILL DIES – Once again, Rep. Curt Nisly, of Goshen, filed a proposal in the General Assembly to completely ban abortion in Indiana, a move that would very likely be struck down as unconstitutional if passed into law. And once again, it died.
Just like last year, the House Public Policy Chairman declined to give the bill a hearing.
Nisly represents House District 22, which includes parts of Kosciusko and Elkhart counties.
