Crowded primaries face some local Republican politicians

Four candidates will be competing in the Republican primary to replace Judge Kitty Coriden on the bench of Bartholomew Superior Court 2. The filing deadline for the May primary election was noon on Friday.

Several Republican primaries will be crowded, with the four candidates for judge, along with seven running for the three at-large seats on Bartholomew County Council, and three running for County Commissioner in District 3.

The four running for judge will be attorneys Scott  Andrews, Dom Glover, Joe Meek and Jon Rohde.

Three Republicans are running to replace County Commissioner Rick Flohr, who is not seeking re-election. Those are Dan Arnholt, JoAnne Flohr and Tony London.

In the crowded at-large race for Bartholomew County Council, Republican incumbents Bill Lentz, Matt Miller and Evelyn Pence will be joined by Andrew Brunni, Laura DeDomenic, Derick Olson and Bill Read. DeDomenic already holds the District 2 seat on the council, representing most of Columbus and northwestern Bartholomew County, but wanted to run at-large so she could move out of her district.

Bartholomew County Commissioner Larry Kleinhenz, Coroner Clayton Nolting and Surveyor E.R. Gray are all unopposed in their Republican primary races and no Democrats have filed for those or any other of the countywide races.

In Hope, Town Councilman and Democrat Ed Johnson is unopposed for his Ward 1 seat, and Republican Councilman Ohmer Miller has no opponent for the Ward 3 seat. Incumbent Councilwoman Democrat Nellie Meek will be running against Republican Jon Walstad in the fall, but neither will have primary opponents.