Beumer cruises to win

Incumbent Greg Beumer easily defeated Democrat Shon Byrum and Libertarian Zeb Sutton in the race for District 33 State Representative.
Beumer received 60 percent of vote in District 33, which encompasses Jay and Randolph counties and a portion of Delaware County. Byrum took 36 percent of the vote and Sutton, a Portland resident, received just 4 percent.
In Jay County Beumer, a Republican, claimed nearly 60 percent of the ballots cast with 2,995 votes, compared to 1,676 for Byrum and 326 for Sutton.
The story was the same for Republicans in state and national offices in Jay County.
Beumer, who lives in Randolph County (Modoc) but grew up in Jay County, was selected by a GOP caucus in late 2013 to fill the seat after longtime State Rep. Bill Davis resigned last November.
On Tuesday night, Beumer said it’s rewarding to be elected by the residents living in District 33.
“It is certainly a humbling experience to have the opportunity to serve in the Indiana General Assembly,” he said. “I certainly want to thank the voters in Jay County and District 33 for their support.”
Byrum, a Winchester resident who has never held public office, said it’s been an honor to run to represent District 33.
“I put my heart and soul into this campaign,” said the Burris Laboratory School in Muncie science teacher. “It’s a statewide thing I think, watching the numbers coming back … Democratic challengers did not bode well.
“I want to say thank you very much. It’s been an honor to represent you. Don’t give up on me.”
Beumer, who previously ran for state representative in 1991 and lost, said he respects Byrum and his efforts.
“I was almost a mirror image of Shon Byrum … I had never held an office, worked hard and the result was the same,” he said. “I know what it’s like to lose, and I know what it’s like to put your heart and soul into a campaign. Shon ran a great campaign and I certainly respect him as a candidate and opponent.”
Voters gave incumbent Marlin Stutzman another two years in Congress.
Stutzman received 69 percent of the vote for District 3 United States Representative. His Democrat opponent Justin Kuhnle received 27 percent of the vote while Libertarian Scott Wise received 4 percent.
In Jay County, voters favored Stutzman with nearly 67 percent of the vote. He claimed 3,145 votes, compared to 1,311 for Kuhnle and 252 for Wise.
Republican Connie Lawson will keep her post as Indiana Secretary of State. She defeated Democrat Beth White and Libertarian Karl Tatgenhorst by claiming 57 percent of the state’s votes.
She claimed nearly 61 percent of the vote in Jay County.
Suzanne Crouch, a Republican, will serve as the next state auditor after claiming victory over her opponents Democrat Michael Claytor and Libertarian John Schick.
In Jay County, Crouch received nearly 64 percent of the vote compared to 60 percent of the vote statewide.
Republican Kelly Mitchell will be the state’s next treasurer after she defeated Democrat Mike Boland and Libertarian Mike Jasper with 58 percent of the vote.
Mitchell, the only non-incumbent Republican candidate who ran for a statewide office this year, received 62 percent of Jay County’s votes.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush and Justice Mark Massa prevailed in their retention elections Tuesday in Jay County and Indiana.
Jay County gave Rush 2,527 yes votes to retain and Massa 2,410.
Hoosiers also retained Court of Appeals Judge Rudolph Pyle III and Judge Martha Blood Wentworth of the specialized Indiana Tax Court. Jay County voters gave Pyle 2,445 yes votes and Wentworth 2,527.