Change a certainty in Congress, state rep races

Friday, November 2, 2018
With the approach of Election Day, early voting at the Putnam County Courthouse has ramped up over the last week, topping 200 voters each day before 334 residents cast ballots on Friday, bringing the early voter total to 3,009, or 12 percent of total registered voters. The line stretched around three sides of the courthouse second floor at times and at others extending down the stairs. Enough voters were lined up when the polls closed at 4 p.m. that poll workers had to stay nearly an extra hour. Voters still have the chance to cast early ballots at the courthouse from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and from 8:30 a.m.-noon on Monday, as well as on Election Day from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Unfortunately for the residents who have already voted, the political ads will continue for another four days.
Banner Graphic/Jared Jernagan

With three days to go until Election Day 2018, two things are for certain even before the results are in: Putnam County will be represented by a new representative on Capitol Hill and at the Indiana Statehouse.

Either Greencastle Republican Jim Baird or Democrat Tobi Beck will replace Fourth District U.S. Congressman Todd Rokita, while the elder Baird will be replaced as the District 44 state representative either by Republican Beau Baird or Democrat Kim Fidler.

This domino effect of shuffling legislators began with current Congressman Rokita’s unsuccessful bid for the GOP U.S. Senate nod.

With Rokita abandoning his seat in Congress, Jim Baird threw his hat in the ring for the congressional nomination, ultimately beating a crowded GOP field that included previously better-known candidates such as Steve Braun and Diego Morales.

Beck, likewise, beat a large field for the Democratic nod.

At the state representative level, Republican voters chose Beau Baird to replace his father on the November ballot, while Fidler was the lone Democrat seeking the position.

While both Bairds and Fidler are Greencastle residents, they are seeking the approval of voters from beyond Putnam County.

Congressional District 4 is a far-flung area that includes all of Putnam, Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Fountain, Hendricks, Jasper, Montgomery, Newton, Tippecanoe, Warren and White counties, as well as parts of Boone, Howard and Morgan counties.

While Greencastle and Putnam County are Baird’s home turf, Beck hails from Avon in Hendricks County.

Putnam County represents a large portion of House District 44, but Beau Baird and Fidler must also win the favor of voters in portions of Parke, Clay, Owen and Morgan counties.

The ballot also features a pair of contested county races.

Republican incumbent Rick Woodall is seeking a second term as District 2 Putnam County commissioners. Standing in his path is Democrat Steve Cash.

The retirement of County Councilman Darrel Thomas has opened his District 3 seat to either Republican Danny Wallace or Democrat Matt Cummings.

While no Democrats are contesting the remainder of county races, there will also be contests for five township trustee positions, five township advisory boards and three school board seats.

Contested races for trustee include:

• Clinton Township­—Tina Sillery (R) and Chelsea Fidler (D).

• Floyd Township—Marsha Carrington (R) and Tom Chiarella (D).

• Madison Township—Jeffrey Alexander (R) and J.D. Grove (D).

• Greencastle Township—Steve Butts (R) and Russell Harvey (D).

Contest races for township advisory board will be (vote for three):

• Franklin Township—Stephen Norton (R), Richard Robbins (R), Earl Clodfelter (D), Nancy Clodfelter (D) and Caroline Jones (D).

• Floyd Township—James Greeson (R), Patricia Lehr (R), Judy Rozelle (R) and Marianne Novak (D).

• Madison Township—Jerry Alexander (R), Kathleen VanArsdale (R), Jerry Williams (D) and Bruce Zink (D).

• Greencastle Township—Karen Ambler (R), Ashley Bieniek (R), Marilyn Clearwaters (R), Russ Evans (D) and Veronica Pejril (D).

• Cloverdale Township—Cyrus Moore (R), Elaine Pearson (R), Steve Walters (R) and Ron Smith (D).

Three school board races will be contested in two corporations:

• North Putnam School Board Floyd Township—Jeff Barber, Ron Spencer and Shiloh Worth.

• North Putnam School Board Clinton Township—Travis Lambermont and Brad Nelson.

• South Putnam School Board Jefferson Township—Wes Hacker and Joseph Roach.