RED, WHITE & YOU # (June 16, 2026)

BEAU BAYH, beloved by Vigo County Democrats, is their standard bearer on the November 3rd election ballot, after Democrats from all over Indiana gathered a week ago at their Indianapolis convention to select the candidates. Bayh was chosen over BLYTHE POTTER, a military veteran and small business owner from Bargersville, IN.

Other candidates nominated in uncontested races include COUMBA KEBE, who will be on the ballot for State Treasurer, and JESSICA BAILEY, for State Comptroller.

This weekend, on June 19 and 20, Republicans will congregate to choose their slate and their race for Secretary of State may be a bit more contentious.

Incumbent Indiana Secretary of State DIEGO MORALES probably has been in the news more frequently than the past half dozen Secretaries of State combined. He does have a way of attracting attention.

There was that business Morales stirring up in national media when an Indiana physician provided a medication abortion to a 10-year-old rape victim from Ohio in 2022. Because Ohio’s strict abortion law was in effect it prevented her from accessing care in her home state, so she traveled to Indiana.

Morales got in hot water after his Chief of Staff – a non-U.S. citizen – was paid a high salary and allegedly claimed on a voter registration form to be a citizen. At that point, then-Senator Mike Braun pulled his endorsement of Diego Morales.

Then there are reports on file alleging abuse of state guidelines by Morales of awarding thousands of dollars more in taxpayer-funded staff bonuses than other constitutional offices.

And there was the time the Marion County Election Board voted unanimously to ask the Indiana Office of Inspector General and the Indiana State Ethics Commission to investigate to see if Morales violated election laws.

And the claims of sexual harassment during his 2022 campaign. He was accused by two women of forcibly kissing them in two different incidents in 2007 and 2009. He adamantly denied the allegations.

Before Morales was elected to the office, he was an employee of the Secretary of State office. He was disciplined for poor job performance and left his position there.

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The race for the Republican nomination for Secretary of State is the reason to watch. Even with these difficulties, Morales may very well win it with three opponents splitting up the vote.

Knox County Clerk and Chair of the Knox County Republican Party, DAVID SHELTON, has filed his candidacy for the office, and former 2024 candidate for Governor, JAMIE REITENOUR, a former candidate for governor, and MAX ENGLING, a senior advisor and regional director to U.S. Senator Jim Banks.

It’s surprising to see such a free-for-all at the Republican Convention and such quiet organization the Democratic fest. Then again, in these wacky-doo political days, down is up and up is… well…who knows?

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One positive thing that is rolling along in a mighty big way is the ENTECH building down in the Industrial Park. That rascal is a whopper! You know the company will make some sort of electric battery component.

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All the crapola about the California election being rigged is so pitiful. People have no idea how hard people work to run elections and make absolutely for sure it is honest and fair. It is the pride of the United States of America to elect our officials in a fair and square election. And if you don’t like the job they are doing – it’s because you voted for ‘em – or you didn’t vote for ‘em! But you sure as heck had the opportunity to vote. And looking at the turnout – 25% really stinks. I actually heard several people say, “That’s pretty good!”

That’s not good at all. That means 75% were sitting on their rear ends griping about the price of gas, the price of groceries – the lousy schools, I-70 sucks, there’s no place to do anything here, everything costs too much, yadda yadda yadda.

75% DIDN’T VOTE! And seriously, I think the national pastime has become just grumbling about stuff. You know, we have it pretty good. Except for the lazy bums who didn’t vote. I’ll tell you what. Get your absentee ballot. I’ll stand there while you vote and tell you about the people on the ballot, if you don’t know. I’ll take you to the post office to mail it in. Or I’ll take it for you. Wouldn’t I love to roll into the post office a couple weeks before the election with about ten bushels of absentee ballots to mail in for folks. Or I will personally drive you to the polls to vote. The polls are open for weeks! There are dozens of volunteers to help.

C’mon, let’s do it this time! Let’s make Vigo County the biggest turnout of voters in the whole state this November! And you’ll be doing it for yourself – for all the things you believe in. For our little community. For America. For democracy.

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“That’s not all we know, but it’s all we’re telling, till next week.’