County Republicans are setting the stage for another all-GOP primary election this May.
A total of 11 county offices will be contested, with one State Representative seat and a U.S. Representative seat in the mix this cycle as well.
Potential candidates were required to file for their respective offices by noon Friday. Sixty Montgomery County candidates filed for county offices while two Crawfordsville residents will vie for seats at the state and national levels.
County commissioner seats for districts 1 and 3 are up for re-election this cycle. Current County Commissioner Board Vice President John Frey is opposed by April Johnson and James Wills, both of Crawfordsville, for the District 1 seat, while Commissioner Dan Guard runs unopposed in District 3.
Current Coroner Darren Forman will attempt to keep his seat as Christopher Imel of Ladoga aims to replace him.
Superior Court II Judge Peggy Lohorn is set to retire at the end of her term in December, allowing local defense attorney Daniel Petrie and current Deputy Prosecutor Aaron Spolarich, both of Crawfordsville, to compete for her bench seat.
The attorneys were separated by only a year when they graduated from Wabash College. Each attended Indiana University law schools and have similar plans for curbing the drug epidemic, healing and restoring families and expanding the Veterans Treatment Court program to serve clients from surrounding counties.
A total of four candidates filed for the three at-large seats on the Montgomery County Council. They include Crawfordsville residents Jake R. Bohlander, John Hedrick II and David Hunt, and New Richmond’s Gary Booth, an incumbent on the county council.
Several precinct committeemen will compete for their positions this spring: Jim Morris and Charles White, Crawfordsville 5; Greg Lough and Miriah S. Mershon, Franklin Township; Frey and Johnson, Madison Township; Darrin Bechtel and Kathy Crawford, Union 2; Jennifer Andel and Ethan D. Myers, Union 3; Mindy Byers and Brian Keim, Union 5; and Bob Cox and Melvin Vance, Wayne Township.
Running for re-election as State Representative in District 41 is Crawfordsville’s Tim Brown. He will face Lebanon’s Greg A. Woods.
The only Democrat from Montgomery County to file before the deadline Friday was Howard Pollchik, who is running for the seat of Fourth District U.S. Representative against Jeffrey Michael Alberts of Lake Village, Jim Baird of Greencastle, Benjamin Frederick of Indianapolis and Joe Mackey of Lafayette.
The 2020 primary election is set for May 5 with a voter registration deadline of April 6.
Current unopposed elected officials running for re-election in 2020 include:
• County offices — Jennifer Bentley, recorder; Thomas Cummins, surveyor; Karyn Douglas, circuit court clerk; and Heather Barajas, judge, Superior Court I.
• Precinct committeemen — John T. Stull, Clark Township; Booth, Coal Creek Township; Bentley, Crawfordsville 1; Sean A. Gerold, Crawfordsville 2; Guard, Crawfordsville 3; Kent S. Priebe, Crawfordsville 4; Douglas, Crawfordsville 7; Todd Barton, Crawfordsville 8; Aaron Morgan, Crawfordsville 9; Dennis J. Hohlbein, Crawfordsville 10; Don Mills, Ripley Township; Kyle A. Blaydes, Scott Township; Gayle Lough, Sugar Creek Township; Bob Campbell, Union 1; Todd Douglas, Union 4; Phil Boots, Union 6; Jim Fulwilder, Union 7; and Jerry Chadwick, Walnut Township.
