Wissel to challenge Paul (4/21/05)

Bruce Wissel, an insurance agent and veteran member of the Richmond City Council, plans to challenge a long-serving state senator in the Republican primary in 2006.

Wissel recently announced that he has formed a committee to seek the GOP nomination for District 27 State Senator, a seat currently held by Allen Paul (R-Richmond). Paul has represented parts or all of Jay County in the state Senate since 1986.

The president of the Richmond Council, Wissel (pronounced “whistle”) is field marketing manager for Indiana Farmers Mutual Insurance. He works with agents in Wayne, Randolph and Jay counties, which comprise Senate District 27.

“I plan to meet as many residents of Jay, Randolph and Wayne counties as possible,” Wissel said in a press release announcing his intentions. “I’ll knock on doors, attend council and board meetings and eat at any public barbecue I can find in the district.”

Wissel, who attends Central United Methodist Church in Richmond, is a member of the Richmond Area Advisory Plan Commission and a member of the Richmond Power and Light Board of Directors.

“We need a state government that brings jobs, good jobs, to our local communities,” Wissel said in the release. “We need an educational system that produces young people with the skills to compete in a more complex and demanding work place. We need a fair tax structure that’s

less dependent on property taxes and promotes economic development. And we need laws that uphold our conservative social values.”

Wissel said last week that he has discussed his plans to run with Paul. Paul has not formally announced whether he plans to run for re-election.[[In-content Ad]]