July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Davis holds on to seat (11/08/06)
By From Staff and AP Reports-
Bill Davis will be returning to the Indiana House in 2007, but he'll find himself in a very different position: A member of the minority.
While Davis, a first-term Republican from Portland, held off an attempt by Redkey Democrat Ron Liggett to get his old job back, Democrats prevailed in enough races elsewhere in the state to grab a slim majority in the House.
With 100 percent of the District 33 vote counted, Davis was the winner with 9,545 to Liggett's 8,395. Davis had ousted Liggett from the same seat in hotly-contest, high-profile race in 2004.
Davis outpolled Liggett 3,594-2,930 in Jay County, capturing more than 55 percent of the Jay vote. Liggett, who was unseated by Davis in a hotly-contested 2004 race, scored solidly with voters in Dunkirk and Redkey.
But Davis won every precinct other precinct in the county, sometimes by a 2-1 margin.
"Wow!" Davis told a noisy crowd at his campaign headquarters. "It's more about you folks, not me!" Davis told supporters.
Voter turnout in Dunkirk was lower than in the county as a whole, running a little over 38 percent. Jay County as a whole saw voter turnout of more than 48 percent and some Republican strongholds were significantly higher than that.
An official in the clerk's office said that bump in turnout is likely due to both an increase in participation and an aggressive effort in Jay County and statewide to remove inactive or incorrect voters from registration lists.
"We had a grass roots campaign all the way through. I'm so proud no matter what the numbers are that we were able to communicate with the people," Liggett said at Democratic headquarters in Portland.
Liggett said he had no idea if he would run again. He left right after the total votes came in.
House Republicans went into the election with a 52-48 majority, but Democrats knocked off four GOP incumbents and will have at least a 51-49 majority over the next two years. House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, conceded the overall contest late Tuesday night, The Associated Press reported.
In the races that turned the tide, former Democratic Rep. Ron Herrell of Kokomo defeated Rep. John Smith of Kokomo in District 30 - a rematch from two years ago. Former Democratic state Sen. Nancy Dembowski beat GOP Rep. Steve Heim in northwestern Indiana's District 17.
In southeastern Indiana's District 69, freshman Republican Rep. Billy Bright of North Vernon lost to former state Rep. David Cheatham. And in southwestern Indiana's District 64, Democrat Kreg Battles beat Rep. Troy Woodruff, both of Vincennes.
Democrats blasted Woodruff for providing the 51st vote needed to nudge daylight-saving time to passage last year after promising constituents he would never vote for the bill. All but a handful of House Democrats voted against the bill.
One nearby race for the Indiana House will likely result in a recount. In District 31, which includes Blackford and Grant counties, incumbent Republican Tim Harris led Democrat Larry Hile by just two votes - 7,238-7,236 - with 95 percent of the ballots counted.
Jay County's Clayton Phillips, who ran a low-key race challenging longtime incumbent Republican Allen Paul in the District 27 race for the Indiana Senate, was defeated 17,084-11,177.
Paul, Richmond, won the Jay vote 3,676-2,380.
In other statewide races, Jay County voters gave their support to Republicans who were all re-elected.
Richard Lugar, who had no Democratic opponent and faced Libertarian Steve Osborn, won the Jay County vote 4,850-795 enroute to another term in the U.S. Senate.
Incumbent Republican secretary of state Todd Rokita won the Jay vote 3,260-2,819 over Democratic challenger Joe Pearson of Blackford County. Libertarian Mike Kole received 270 Jay County votes.
Incumbent Republican state auditor Tim Berry won the Jay vote 3,322-2,990 over Democratic challenger Judy Anderson.
And incumbent Republican state treasurer Richard Mourdock won the Jay vote 3,271-2,742 over Democratic challenger Michael Griffin.
Jay County voters also gave overwhelming support to Republican Mike Pence in his successful bid for another term in Congress representing District 6. Pence receieved 3,869 Jay County votes to 2,380 for Democratic challenger Barry Welsh.[[In-content Ad]]
While Davis, a first-term Republican from Portland, held off an attempt by Redkey Democrat Ron Liggett to get his old job back, Democrats prevailed in enough races elsewhere in the state to grab a slim majority in the House.
With 100 percent of the District 33 vote counted, Davis was the winner with 9,545 to Liggett's 8,395. Davis had ousted Liggett from the same seat in hotly-contest, high-profile race in 2004.
Davis outpolled Liggett 3,594-2,930 in Jay County, capturing more than 55 percent of the Jay vote. Liggett, who was unseated by Davis in a hotly-contested 2004 race, scored solidly with voters in Dunkirk and Redkey.
But Davis won every precinct other precinct in the county, sometimes by a 2-1 margin.
"Wow!" Davis told a noisy crowd at his campaign headquarters. "It's more about you folks, not me!" Davis told supporters.
Voter turnout in Dunkirk was lower than in the county as a whole, running a little over 38 percent. Jay County as a whole saw voter turnout of more than 48 percent and some Republican strongholds were significantly higher than that.
An official in the clerk's office said that bump in turnout is likely due to both an increase in participation and an aggressive effort in Jay County and statewide to remove inactive or incorrect voters from registration lists.
"We had a grass roots campaign all the way through. I'm so proud no matter what the numbers are that we were able to communicate with the people," Liggett said at Democratic headquarters in Portland.
Liggett said he had no idea if he would run again. He left right after the total votes came in.
House Republicans went into the election with a 52-48 majority, but Democrats knocked off four GOP incumbents and will have at least a 51-49 majority over the next two years. House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, conceded the overall contest late Tuesday night, The Associated Press reported.
In the races that turned the tide, former Democratic Rep. Ron Herrell of Kokomo defeated Rep. John Smith of Kokomo in District 30 - a rematch from two years ago. Former Democratic state Sen. Nancy Dembowski beat GOP Rep. Steve Heim in northwestern Indiana's District 17.
In southeastern Indiana's District 69, freshman Republican Rep. Billy Bright of North Vernon lost to former state Rep. David Cheatham. And in southwestern Indiana's District 64, Democrat Kreg Battles beat Rep. Troy Woodruff, both of Vincennes.
Democrats blasted Woodruff for providing the 51st vote needed to nudge daylight-saving time to passage last year after promising constituents he would never vote for the bill. All but a handful of House Democrats voted against the bill.
One nearby race for the Indiana House will likely result in a recount. In District 31, which includes Blackford and Grant counties, incumbent Republican Tim Harris led Democrat Larry Hile by just two votes - 7,238-7,236 - with 95 percent of the ballots counted.
Jay County's Clayton Phillips, who ran a low-key race challenging longtime incumbent Republican Allen Paul in the District 27 race for the Indiana Senate, was defeated 17,084-11,177.
Paul, Richmond, won the Jay vote 3,676-2,380.
In other statewide races, Jay County voters gave their support to Republicans who were all re-elected.
Richard Lugar, who had no Democratic opponent and faced Libertarian Steve Osborn, won the Jay County vote 4,850-795 enroute to another term in the U.S. Senate.
Incumbent Republican secretary of state Todd Rokita won the Jay vote 3,260-2,819 over Democratic challenger Joe Pearson of Blackford County. Libertarian Mike Kole received 270 Jay County votes.
Incumbent Republican state auditor Tim Berry won the Jay vote 3,322-2,990 over Democratic challenger Judy Anderson.
And incumbent Republican state treasurer Richard Mourdock won the Jay vote 3,271-2,742 over Democratic challenger Michael Griffin.
Jay County voters also gave overwhelming support to Republican Mike Pence in his successful bid for another term in Congress representing District 6. Pence receieved 3,869 Jay County votes to 2,380 for Democratic challenger Barry Welsh.[[In-content Ad]]
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