Commissioner King files to oppose Sheriff Skinner in Delaware County GOP primary

David Penticuff, Muncie Star Press
·3 min read
Voting machine in Delaware County.

MUNCIE, Ind. — Two prominent local elected officials will square off in a battle for the Republican nomination for sheriff in the May primary election.

Delaware County Commissioner James King has filed to run against incumbent Sheriff Tony Skinner for the GOP nod in the fall general election. Skinner, finishing his first term in office, has also filed for the primary race.

The two men had been working together in recent months to deliver salary raises and bonuses for merit deputies and correctional officers. Pay for sheriff's department employees has been a major local issue during the past year.

King announced last February he would retire in March 2022 as Daleville Police chief after 22 years with the department, 16 of those as chief. He previously was employed for five years as a correctional officer for the Delaware County Sheriff's Department.

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King is serving his third term as county commissioner.

William V. Hughes, a local attorney who is counsel for the Delaware County Council, is now running for a seat on Delaware County Council.

He filed Friday for the District 2 seat now held by Republican Ron Quakenbush, who has said he is retiring from the council. Also running in the GOP primary for District 2, which includes much of Yorktown, is Amber Greene.

Greene owns and operates Fate Style Studio in Yorktown. She originally filed to run for an at-large Yorktown Town Council seat but switched her candidacy to run for the county council seat.

A race has developed for the Republican nomination in the District 34 state representative contest. Dale Basham, interim director of the Delaware County Tourism Bureau, is seeking the legislative seat now held by Democrat Incumbent Sue Errington. Basham lost in a 2020 attempt to unseat Errington.

Basham is opposed by local nurse Susan Dillon in the primary. Errington has filed to run for re-election and as of yet, has no opposition in the Democratic primary.

Republican incumbent Elizabeth Rowray has filed to retain her seat as state representative in House District 35. Rowray was recently hired to replace retiring Jay Julian as president and CEO of the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce.

Former State Representative Melanie Wright of Yorktown has filed to run for Indiana State Senate as a Democrat in District 26. Rowray unseated Wright from her House seat in the 2020 general election.

In House District 33 the Republicans will have a primary race. Brittany (Bridges) Kloer of Jay County has filed to oppose J.D. Prescott for the GOP nomination. Prescott is an incumbent.

In other filings:

  • Daniel Flanigan has filed as a Republican for the Delaware County Council District 1 seat.

  • Kristi Knapp has filed as a Democrat for the Delaware County Council District 4 seat.

  • Ryan Davis has filed as a Democrat for Delaware County coroner.

  • Jason Gasaway has filed as a Republican for Yorktown Town Council, District 1.

  • Cheryl Wesley has filed as a Republican for Harrison Township trustee.

  • Lisa Garrison has filed as a Republican for Washington Township trustee.

  • Beth Henry has filed as a Republican for the Delaware Township board.

  • Paul Campbell has filed as a Republican for the Niles Township Board.

  • Jerry Kirtley has filed as a Republican for the Washington Township Board.

  • David Davis has filed as a Republican for the Delaware Township Board.

  • Sheri Chafin, has filed as a Republican for Harrison Township Board.

The statewide deadline to file for the primary ballots is noon Feb. 5.

David Penticuff is the local government reporter at the Star Press. Contact him at dpenticuff@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Commissioner King challenges Sheriff Skinner in GOP primary