It was a disappointing night for St. Joseph County Republicans. Republican candidates lost every race for county-level office.
Party Chair Jackie Horvath says they tried to focus on local issues, but prosecutor candidate John Maciejczyk says he knew it would be a difficult task. "I think with the current unpopularity of the president, it’s a tough hill to climb," Maciejczyk said before results event starting coming in.
County Commissioner Carl Baxmeyer lost his reelection bid to current sheriff Bill Redman. Baxmeyer felt it was voters’ focus on national issues – not his support of data centers – that cost him the election.
“In any other year, if you stand up and say, ‘We brought the biggest investment in Indiana history to the county of St. Joseph,’ in Amazon, the big investment in GM, the big investment of Microsoft, the jobs that are being created, that would’ve been overwhelmingly received, but this year, it didn’t matter," Baxmeyer said.
Similarly, sheriff candidate Rod Laureys blamed his loss on “Trump fatigue.” "We did a good race, we worked hard, and that’s just the way the cookies crumbled tonight," Laureys told supporters during his concession speech. "So, I just want to wish my opponent luck, and I hope it goes well for him. And I just thank you all."
On the county council, Democrats picked up three seats, with incumbent Republicans Joe Thomas and Amy Drake both losing, along with fellow Republican Jamie O’Brien. Still, Drake ended her concession speech on an optimistic note.
"Don’t feel too bad," Drake said. "The Drake and O’Brien PAC is still around, and we will be back again, so thank you."
