Alexander, Loy plan to run

With election filing still more than a month away, two candidates have announced their plans to run for Jay County Commissioner.

The incumbent has not decided if he will seek another term.

Republicans Bryan Alexander and Aaron Loy announced their candidacies for Jay County Commissioner – Middle District with news releases Sunday and Monday, respectively. 

Election filing for the 2026 primaries will begin Wednesday, Jan. 7. Offices up for election in 2026 include the middle district commissioner seat, as well as four Jay County Council seats, sheriff, auditor, recorder and assessor.

With two candidates announcing their intentions, The Commercial Review reached out to incumbent middle district commissioner Chad Aker about whether he plans to run for a third term.

“I’m going to hold off on that decision right now,” said Aker, also a Republican.

Alexander is a 1986 Jay County High School graduate who went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tampa. He is currently serving on Jay County Council and previously served two terms on Jay School Board.

During a conversation Monday morning, Alexander said he felt the time was right to run for commissioner. (He also ran in the 2022 primary.)

“I just see that there's gonna be a lot of challenges in the next few years,” he said. “I just thought that given that the experience and my relationships with the county officials that it was the time to run.”

Loy graduated from Jay County High School in 2012 and then earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Ball State University.

“A lot of the decisions affecting the county are ones that are going to affect my two girls and everyone’s children,” said Loy. “So I just feel like we need a fresh, young face involved to help make those decisions.”

Loy identified infrastructure, public safety, housing and developing better working relationships with the county’s municipalities as the key issues facing the county in the coming years. Alexander focused on finances, noting uncertainty following the passage of Senate Enrolled Act 1, which makes various tax policy changes, and having a vision to sustain the county’s population.

Both have been involved in Republican leadership in the county, with Alexander as a previous party chair and Loy as a previous vice chair.

Loy works for Ascension Medical Group and Loy Real Estate & Auction, is president of Jay County Fair Board, is a member of Portland Lions Club and serves on Portland Board of Zoning Appeals.

“It will take collaboration, buy-in, and a shared commitment for all levels to move forward,” said Loy. “I believe in working together, and not in silos, will deliver real results for Jay County. 

“Above all, I believe it’s time for more young people in my generation to get involved and take an active role in shaping the future of our community. If we want Jay County to grow and be a place where families can thrive, we must be willing to step forward.”

Alexander works for Capital Cities investment consulting firm of Indianapolis, serves on the Jay County Development Corporation board of directors and is involved with Portland Elks Lodge.

“I just think the key to any position is somebody that’s two things — willing to put the time in and somebody who has built trusted relationships with the other stakeholders that will allow us to make progress,” he said. “And I think the other thing is being able to have some vision around talking to the constituents, assessing where we are and being creative in how to get through challenges and how to grow.”

Aker first won election in 2018. He defeated incumbent Barry Hudson and Caleb Lutes in a three-way race — 1,113-987-671 — and went on to edge his cousin Brian Aker by 163 votes in the general election.

He fended off a challenge from Alexander in the 2022 Republican primary, taking nearly two-thirds of the vote. He went on to beat Joel Bowers by a massive margin — 4,109-1,219 — in the general election.

Alexander is completing his first year on Jay County Council after winning election in November 2024.