GOP Rides Voter Discontent To Near Sweep
Voters angry with gridlock in Washington and the statehouse, the economy, the lack of jobs, healthcare, the stock market and life in general sent most Democrats packing in last Tuesday’s mid-term election.
Hoosiers returned Dan Coats to the US Senate, a seat from which he retired 12 years ago, over former 8th district Democrat congressman Brad Ellsworth.
Longtime Democrat 9th District Congressman Baron Hill will be returning home to Jackson County after political new-comer Todd Young gathered 118,138 votes throughout the 9th district compared to Hill’s 95,387. Jackson County was not kind to Hill giving him 4,980 votes to Young’s 7,617.
Republicans Charlie White was elected Secretary of State, Tim Berry re-elected state Auditor, and Richard Mourdock was re-elected State Treasurer.
The two lone bright spots for Democrats was Jackson County District 4 county councilman Greg Prange who was re-elected by 31 votes (1,155-1,124) over GOP challenger Brian D’arco. The other was Democrat State Representative Terry Goodin who was re-elected by a 593 vote margin (10,120-9,527) over Republican Jim Lucas. Goodin lost in Jackson, Clark and Jennings Counties but his home county of Scott gave him a 3,332-1,982 majority over his GOP challenger for the victory.
Republicans will have a 56-44 advantage in the Indiana House thus assuring in his final two years of office much of Governor Mitch Daniels governmental changes he seeks.
Incumbent Jackson Superior Court 2 Judge Bruce MacTavish was returned to office with a 8,341-5,250 majority.
Republican Amanda Cunningham Lowry was swept into office as County Clerk over Katrina Hoevener with a 7,818-5,718 tally.
Incumbent Democrat County Recorder Traci Hubbard was defeated by GOP’s Linda Auleman by a 7,330-6,058 majority.
Incumbent Democrat Sheriff Marc Lahrman was defeated by Mike Carothers in a re-match of the 2006 election. Carothers gathered 7,971 votes to Lahrman’s 5,802. Of historic note, Carothers becomes the first sheriff in the history of Jackson County to be elected from east of Crane Hill. For the past 40 years, Jackson County sheriff’s have resided in either Brownstown, Driftwood or Grassy Fork Townships. Carothers lives in Redding Township on the county’s northeast corner.
Republican Matt Reedy easily defeated Democrat Michael Reynolds 8,702-7,478 to become the County Commissioner from District 3 beginning January 1.
Locally, Leon Pottschmidt defeated incumbent Democrat County Councilwoman from District 2 Debbie Hackman by a 1,718-1,349 tally.
Republican County Prosecutor Richard Poynter had no opposition and gathered 10,821 votes.
Democrat County Assessor Beverly Gaiter was uooposed in her re-election bid and received 9,612 votes.
In the Vernon Township Advisory Board race, incumbent Democrats Scott Kovener and Odes Densford were re-elected with 604 and 598 votes respectively. Republican Roger Teipen was elected with 584 votes; incumbent Democrat Karen Metz received 551 votes.
Incumbent Democrat Vernon Township Trustee Curt Kovener was unopposed in his re-election bid and received 665 votes.
