Jim Lienhoop
The unusually crowded race for GOP convention delegate positions in Bartholomew County was narrowed down this past Tuesday, with voters opting mostly for party leaders, current and former elected officials and people who have previously served as delegates over newcomers.
Delegates are selected in the primary and cast votes on the nomination of certain GOP candidates for the general election and changes to the party’s platform. This year, delegates will gather at the party’s convention in June to vote for candidates for secretary of state, treasurer and auditor.
Normally, the role of convention delegate does not receive much attention, and local party leaders have struggled at times to find enough people who are interested in previous elections. But this year a flood of people in Bartholomew County filed to run for GOP convention delegate.
A total of 51 people threw their hats into the ring for the county’s allotment of 24 Republican convention delegates — more than twice the number who filed in the previous two presidential elections combined.
That includes 45 people who sought 19 at-large spots and six candidates who contended for five spots designated for Columbus Township, according to the Indiana Election Division.
By comparison, 23 people filed to be Republican convention delegates in 2020, according to the Bartholomew County Clerk’s Office. Twelve people filed in 2018, while 24 filed in 2016.
Bartholomew County Republican Party Chair Luann Welmer said previously that she was somewhat surprised to see so many people interested in being delegates, but said it was reflection of how energized the party is.
Welmer said she encouraged all local Republican officials and active members of the local GOP to run “because I feel like they probably are the ones that are most knowledgeable to make the selections for state office.” However, she did not know what to expect during the primary.
“I really didn’t know what to expect, honestly,” said Welmer, who was elected as one of the Columbus Township delegates. “But I do feel like these are several of the people that have been (delegates) in the past and they just enjoy getting involved and doing their research and want to make a difference. That’s why I feel like they’ve put their name on the ballot.”
On Tuesday, Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop led the crowded field for the county’s 19 at-large delegates, receiving the most votes of any at-large candidate with 3,769 votes.
Larry Fisher came in second with 3,675 votes, followed by Bartholomew County Republican Party Vice Chair Josh Burnett with 3,650 votes, according to the Bartholomew County Clerk’s Office.
Other candidates who made the cut included former Bartholomew County Clerk Jay Phelps, Bartholomew County Recorder Tami Hines, Bartholomew County Republican Party Treasurer Liana Lienhoop and Bartholomew County Republican Party Secretary Leah Beyer.
Among the candidates who ran for the five Columbus Township slots, former Bartholomew County Republican Party Chair Barb Hackman led the group, with 2,899 votes, followed by Welmer, the current county party chair, who received 2,866.
However, there may be some changes to the final list of delegates, as a couple of people who were voted in as delegates have signaled that they may no longer be able to attend the GOP convention this summer, Welmer said.
Welmer is working on getting the delegates’ paperwork in order with the state before Tuesday’s deadline.
“We have had a couple of people that put their name on the list, that now their circumstances have changed and they’re not able to be there,” Welmer said. “So, I’ve got to find a replacement for them, and what I’ve done is gone down the list and asked a couple other people to join us that didn’t make the vote.”
Local Republicans have different ideas on what may have driven the surge in interest in a normally obscure office for most voters.
Some local officials say the increase in delegate candidates is simply due to “more people wanting to be involved in the (political) process” and is a reflection of how “energized” local Republicans are heading into the midterm elections.
Others attribute the steep rise in interest to “really competitive” races for the GOP nomination for Indiana secretary of state and treasurer, which will not be decided in the upcoming primary, but rather by delegates at the party’s state convention.
A third group has said they “wish to protect the (GOP) platform from any additional attempts to move it to the left.”
Some officials cited differences in opinion on certain issues, including election security, which they believe has “played a role in the number of folks who have stepped forward” to run for convention delegate. Indiana’s secretary of state is the third highest constitutional office of the state government, and the individual serves as the state’s chief election officer.
So far, one presumptive candidate for secretary of state, Diego Morales, has expressed views or made comments that cast doubt on the results of the 2020 election, according to States United Action, a nonpartisan organization that is monitoring secretary of state races across the country.
However, all officials agreed that this level of interest in being a GOP convention delegate is not typical.
Welmer said those who were elected are excited to participate in the convention this summer.
“I think everyone on the list that was elected, they’re all very excited to share their values with the rest of the group when we go in June,” Welmer said.
