Congressional candidate’s bid challenged

The upstart campaign of a Thorntown candidate seeking a congressional seat is being challenged.

Two challenges have been filed against the candidacy of T. Charles Bookwalter, who is looking to unseat fellow Republican Jim Baird, the two-term District 4 congressman from Greencastle, in the May 3 GOP primary.

However, it’s Bookwalter’s very status as a Republican that’s being challenged.

According to the newly-amended Indiana Code 3-8-2-7, candidates for U.S. Congress who wish to run on a major party ticket must file a declaration stating they “affiliate” with that party, by virtue of their having either voted for that party in the last two primaries in which the candidate voted, or by attaching the certification of that party’s chair for the county of the candidate’s residence that the candidate is a member of the party.

Prior to its amendment this year, candidates were required to have voted in only the most recent primary of the party with which they claim affiliation.

In a press release sent out earlier this week, Bookwalter noted that the chairman of the Boone County GOP has not certified that he is a member of the party.

On Feb. 10, two challenges were filed regarding Bookwalter’s candidacy, including one by Greencastle City Councilman Cody Eckert.

The Indiana Elections Commission will hold a hearing at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18 to consider candidate challenges, of which Bookwalter’s cases are just two of 26 against a total of 22 different candidates.