Jay voters go to polls Tuesday

Editor’s note: Stories about local candidates in contested elections ran about a month ago ahead of the start of early voting. They are still available online in the “Election” section at http://www.thecr.com.
Since the Iowa caucus in February, voters around the nation have been weighing in on the presidential candidate field. On Tuesday, Indiana voters will get their turn.
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday in Jay County as voters make their selections in the Republican and Democrat primary races for president. They will also make selections in contested races for U.S. Senator, District 3 U.S. Representative, county commissioner, county coroner and clerk of Jay Circuit Court.
While only three candidates — Ted Cruz, John Kasich and Donald Trump — remain active in the race for the GOP nomination for president, nine will appear on the ballot. The others are Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Carly Fiorina, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio, who have all suspended their campaigns.
Trump continues to lead the race and is ahead in the polls in Indiana. Cruz and Kasich came to an agreement last weekend that the former would focus his time and money on the Hoosier state while the latter would target New Mexico and Oregon.
The Democrat race is at two candidates, as it has been through most of the primary process. Hillary Clinton has a lead of more than 700 pledged delegates over Bernie Sanders with a total of 2,165 and needs to secure 18 percent of the remaining delegates to earn her party’s nomination.
Locally, it’s races for Jay County Commissioner that dominate the ballot as there are three contested primaries.
One of those involves a rematch, as current commissioners president Faron Parr faces a challenge from Jay County Council president Mike Leonhard for the GOP nomination for the north district seat. The candidates also met in the 2004 primary, in which Parr unseated then-incumbent Leonhard by 34 votes.
The winner will advance to the general election to take on Robert (Bob) E. Franks Jr., who is uncontested in the Democratic primary.
A couple of newcomers to the election process are hoping to fill the shoes of Republican Jim Zimmerman, who chose not to seek a third term for the south district commissioner seat. That race pits Chuck Huffman, a Dunkirk resident and trust officer for First Merchants Bank in Portland, against Wayne Bailey, a Madison Township resident who works in project development for Commonwealth Engineering.
There are also two candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for commissioner in the south district as James Brewster, who owns Brewster Electric in Portland, squares off against Ted Champ, president of Local 4 of the bricklayers’ union. Champ is a member of county council who has also served on Redkey Town Council and Jay School Board while Brewster has previously made unsuccessful runs for both county council and commissioner.
The battle for the GOP nomination for county coroner is a three-man race, with incumbent Jason White facing challengers Michael Brewster and Jeff Hopkins. White works for Jay Emergency Medical Service and is also a volunteer firefighter. Brewster is a Portland Police Department officer, and Hopkins is an investigator with Dunkirk Police Department.
Democrat coroner candidate Curt Compton is uncontested in the primary.
Two candidates hope to take over as Jay County Circuit Court clerk from Ellen Coats, who is ineligible to run for a third term. Seeking to replace her are Jon Eads, an assistant manager at Arby’s in Portland, and Jo Newman, who works in the county recorder’s office.
In addition to the presidential race, the Republicans also have multiple candidates vying for nominations to the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives.
Marlin Stutzman, who currently represents Jay County in the House, and Todd Young, also a Congressman, are seeking the GOP nomination for the Senate to replace the retiring Dan Coats. Eric Holcomb was initially competing for the seat as well but pulled out of the race to become Indiana’s lieutenant governor.
The winner of that race will advance to take on Democrat Baron Hill, who is uncontested in the primary.
Republicans in the race for the nomination to fill Stutzman’s seat in the House are Jim Banks, Liz Brown, Pam Galloway, Kip Tom, Mark Baringer and Kevin Howell. The Democrats have a three-man field in District 3 with Todd Nightenhelser, John Roberson and Tommy Schrader hoping to earn a berth in the general election.
Other uncontested candidates in Tuesday’s primary are:

Democrat
Jay County Council
Gary Theurer
Governor
John Gregg

Republican
County treasurer
Paula Alexander/Miller

County surveyor
Brad Daniels

County council
Jeanne Houchins
Cindy Newton

State convention delegate
Jenae Horn Blasdel
John Coldren
Ilze Koch
Terry LeMaster

Green Township
precinct committeeman
Terry LeMaster

Jackson Township
precinct committeeman
Carla Horn
Pike Township
precinct committeeman
Missy Elliott

Wayne 1
precinct committeeman
Leland LeMaster

Wayne 3
precinct committeeman
Michael Brewster

Bearcreek
precinct committeeman
Jeanne Houchins

Wayne 7
precinct committeeman
Cindy Newton

State representative
District 33
Greg Beumer

Governor
Mike Pence