Get in the fight

Jay County Republicans heard from a former Indiana University basketball player and coach Tuesday.

Dan Dakich spoke at the party’s Lincoln Day Dinner hosted at Bearcreek Farms.

A Gary native, Dakich played for Indiana University under coach Bob Knight in the early 1980s and also served as an assistant and interim head coach. He spent 10 years as head coach at Bowling Green State University. Dakich also worked for ESPN as a college basketball color commentator and studio analyst for a decade and hosted “The Dan Dakich Show” on Indianapolis radio station 107.5 The Fan.

He shared anecdotes from his time on the Indiana University basketball team, drawing laughter from the crowd.

Basketball, he said, had always been his calling.

“(When) I grew up, all I wanted to do was play basketball,” he said. “I couldn’t wait to get off the bus and go play basketball in my front yard.”

He’s the current host of podcast “Don’t @ Me” on Outkick, which Dakich noted is a Republican/conservative station owned by Fox Corporation. He touched on his time with the ESPN network, a job he left in December.

“I saw what’s happening in the country, and I wanted to have a voice,” he said. “And the voice wasn’t going to be at ESPN.”

The state of the country, he continued, is exemplified by local candidates’ platforms. He highlighted several hot topics, such as border control and transgender youth, and how times have changed in recent years.

“Listening to this nonsense blanked me off three years ago to the point where, I don’t care, I did games, I did them for 10 years, but, you’ve got to do something,” he said. “You’ve got to have a voice. You’ve got to at least stand up. And that’s what you all are doing.”

The Gary native also referenced party values, instead favoring what he said were common-sense beliefs. He advocated for individuals sharing their opinions.

“We should at least have a conversation,” he said, noting issues such as inflation and school shootings. “I admire the living hell out of everybody in here that is running for something … whether you win, whether you lose … at least you’re in here.

“At least you’re punching, at least you’re fighting, at least you’re trying to get something done.”

Also Tuesday, Krista Muhlenkamp received a leadership award from Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch’s office.

Jay County Republican Party chair Jenae Blasdel noted Muhlenkamp’s community involvement. She launched the Hometown Heroes project last year in an effort to display banners for veterans along streets in several local municipalities. The owner of Sunshine Boutique also started the Jake David fashion line in memory of her late son. Proceeds from the products go toward the community.

“She brings sunshine to people,” said Blasdel.

Candidates for Portland City Council and Portland mayor, as well as congressional candidates, also introduced themselves during the dinner. Those in attendance included Matt Goldsworthy and Ashley Hilfiker, who are running for city council, and Jeff Westlake, John Boggs and Todd Wickey, who are competing in the mayoral primary