Democrat filing gives State Rep. Barrett a general election opponent

Mike Emery, Richmond Palladium-Item
·5 min read
2022 Election campaign buttons with the USA flag - Illustration
2022 Election campaign buttons with the USA flag - Illustration

RICHMOND, Ind. — Both of Wayne County's state legislators face challenges in November's general election.

State Sen. Jeff Raatz knew all along he faced competition to keep his District 27 seat, because he and Democrat Ron Itnyre both ran unopposed in May's primary.

State Rep. Brad Barrett's District 56 opponent, however, filed just this week. Democrat C. Yvonne Washington filed Tuesday, beating the noon deadline for parties to fill slots that remained open after the primary.

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Barrett was first elected in 2018 and won re-election in 2020. He defeated Mark Pierce in May's Republican primary.

The Nov. 8 election will mark the fifth consecutive year that Washington has sought office. She lost elections for Wayne Township trustee in 2018, Richmond Common Council in 2019 and Wayne County clerk in 2020. Last year, Washington was one of three candidates to fill a Richmond Community Schools Board of School Trustees seat opened by a resignation; however, she was not selected.

Washington is the only Democrat added to the ballot and the only addition that created a contested race.

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Libertarian Cheryl Heacox filed to run for Clay Township Board, becoming the third candidate for the three seats.

Five Republicans filed for township board seats they will win. Marlon D. Whitaker and Allen J. Wampler will serve on the Washington Township Board, Malinda S. Glover on the Abington Township Board, Eric J. Davis on the New Garden Township Board and Ken J. Banning on the Perry Township Board.

Incumbents Robert D. Conyers in Greene Township and James T. Fagan in Harrison Township filed to retain their trustee positions.

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Besides the legislators, the only two contested local races are for Wayne Township trustee and for the three Jefferson Township Board seats. Democrat Cassandra Brown is challenging Republican incumbent Susan Isaacs for Wayne Township trustee.

In Jefferson Township, Republicans Gary Keesling, Anne Smith and Max Soliday and Democrat Chad Neal are contesting the three available seats.

With no opposition filing, Republican Brad Dwenger will become the District 1 member of the Wayne County Board of Commissioners after defeating Ken Paust during the primary.

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Republican incumbents Robert Chamness, Beth Leisure and Tony Gillam will keep their Wayne County Council seats, while Republican newcomer Barry Ritter will take the District 2 seat after running unopposed in the primary.

Debbie Tiemann, a Republican who has previously served as recorder, will be the new county recorder, and Mark A. Hoelscher, who won a Republican primary race over incumbent Kimberly Walton, will be the new county auditor.

Republican Circuit Court Judge April Drake, Prosecutor Michael Shipman, Sheriff Randy Retter and Assessor Timothy Smith all will be unopposed in November and continue in their positions.

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November's election also includes non-partisan school board races. School board candidates may begin filing July 27, with the filing period ending Aug. 26.

Positions up for election this year are:

  • District C and two at-large positions for Richmond Community Schools;

  • District B and two at-large positions for Nettle Creek;

  • District A and one at-large position for Northeastern Wayne;

  • District C and one at-large position for Western Wayne; and

  • District B and one at-large position for Centerville-Abington.

Candidates for two at-large seats on the Hagerstown Town Council and two at-large seats on the Fountain City Town Council have until Aug. 1 to file. So far, Republican incumbent Donald Benedict has filed in Hagerstown and Republican Karen Sue Bromagem has filed in Fountain City.

General election

The contested races on Wayne County ballots during the Nov. 8 general election are:

  • U.S. Representative, 6th District: Greg Pence (R); Cynthia (Cinde) Wirth (D);

  • U.S. Senator: Thomas M. McDermott, Jr. (D); Todd Young (R);

  • State Representative, District 56: Brad J. Barrett (R); C. Yvonne Washington (D);

  • State Senate, District 27: Ronald Itnyre (D); Jeff Raatz (R);

  • Wayne Township Trustee: Cassandra Brown (D); Susan Isaacs (R); and

  • Jefferson Township Board (3 seats): Gary Keesling (R); Chad Neal (D); Anne Smith (R); Max Soliday (R)

The uncontested races in November are:

  • Circuit Court Judge: April Drake (R);

  • Prosecutor: Michael Shipman (R);

  • Auditor: Mark A. Hoelscher (R);

  • Recorder: Debbie Tiemann (R);

  • Sheriff: Randy Retter (R);

  • Assessor: Timothy Smith (R);

  • Commissioner, District 1: Brad Dwenger (R);

  • Council, District 1: Robert Chamness (R);

  • Council, District 2: Barry Ritter (R);

  • Council, District 3: Beth Leisure (R);

  • Council, District 4: Tony Gillam (R);

  • Wayne Township Assessor: Gary Callahan (R);

  • Abington Township Trustee: Steven Kaiser (R);

  • Boston Township Trustee: Sandra Nocton (R);

  • Center Township Trustee: Vicki Chasteen (R);

  • Clay Township Trustee: Rebecca Cool (R);

  • Dalton Township Trustee: Lance Lumpkin (R);

  • Franklin Township Trustee: John Roll (R);

  • Greene Township Trustee: Robert D. Conyers (R);

  • Harrison Township Trustee: James T. Fagan (R);

  • Jackson Township Trustee: Lyndon Wicker (R);

  • Jefferson Township Trustee: Chris Lane (R);

  • New Garden Township Trustee: Jeff Himelick (R);

  • Perry Township Trustee: Dan Hollenberg (R);

  • Washington Township Trustee: Ken Risch (R);

  • Webster Township Trustee: George Haskett (R);

  • Abington Township Board (3 seats): Theresa Clark (R); Malinda S. Glover (R); Douglass Toshlog (R);

  • Boston Township Board (3 seats): Jack Buckland (R); Todd Lafuse (R); Patricia Ravinet (R);

  • Center Township Board (3 seats): Jodi Frech (R); Shari Markley (R); Steve Poindexter (R);

  • Clay Township Board (3 seats): Louis Artman Jr. (R); Cheryl Heacox (L); Jan Riggleman (R) ;

  • Dalton Township Board (3 seats): Larry Joe Black (R); Craig Dishman (R); Bill Sullivan (R);

  • Franklin Township Board (3 seats): Don Berger (R); Dale Spencer (R); Scott Stemple (R);

  • Greene Township Board (3 seats): Benjamin Jon Alyea (R); Alex Nocton (R); Steve Nocton (R);

  • Harrison Township Board (3 seats): Timothy Arnold (R); David Bertsch (R); Sara Jane Moyer (R);

  • Jackson Township Board (3 seats): Bradley Bowman (R); Gil Kerney (R); Judith Kerney (R);

  • New Garden Township Board (3 seats): Eric J. Davis (R): Robert McGuire (D); Jacquelyn Shroyer (R);

  • Perry Township Board (3 seats): Ken J. Banning (R); Randall Hunnicutt (R); Daniel Kirtley (R);

  • Washington Township Board (3 seats): Kenneth Bertsch (D); Allen J. Wampler (R); Marlon D. Whitaker (R);

  • Wayne Township Board (3 seats): Diane Blackwell (R); Terri Smith (R); Marilyn Sowers (R);

  • Webster Township Board (3 seats): Amber Buchs (R); Amy Fouche (R); Courtney McCauley (R)

This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Democrat filing gives State Rep. Barrett a general election opponent