A Night of Politics in Washington County
- Washington County Times
- May 1
- 13 min read
By Nathaniel Smith, Editor-in-Chief & Jacob Dufour, Publisher
On the evening of Thursday, April 24, politics played out across two separate venues less than a mile apart. At Southern Hills Church, local Republicans held their annual Lincoln Day dinner—a traditional gathering for party members and elected officials. Meanwhile, less than a mile away, a Democratic-led community event focused on grassroots organizing and policy criticism. Though the tone and structure of the events differed sharply, both drew residents eager to hear from political figures and engage with the issues shaping Indiana’s future.
Approximately 120 Washington County community members affiliated with the Republican Party gathered together at Southern Hills Church on Thursday, April 24 to celebrate the annual “Lincoln Day Dinner.” The event, catered by LaDonna Mitchell, aimed to celebrate our elected officials as well as the various accomplishments that have been achieved in the first 100 days since they officially were sworn in to office in January.
The dinner began with a general welcome announcement by Washington County Chairwoman Tara Coats Hunt, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Clerk of Courts Stephanie Rockey, and an invocation by Nathan Bills. After which, the guests were invited to fill their plates and enjoy the meal.
It was not long before Salem Mayor Justin Green stepped up to the microphone as he introduced our elected officials.
“We’ve got a great crowd tonight, and part of our tradition here in Washington County during our Lincoln Day Dinners is that we like to recognize our elected officials,” began Mayor Green. “It is certainly a thankless job most days, and it’s a very necessary job, but the thanks that I’d like to give is because we give a lot of our lives as elected officials. So, we need to recognize and remember who it is working on our behalf in Washington County and on behalf of the Republican Party.”
Mayor Green went on to recognize a long list of all of our elected officials on both a county and state level. Names such as Senator Todd Young, Judge Larry Medlock, Sheriff Brent Miller and the three Washington County Commissioners were mentioned, each followed by applause. There were even elected officials from neighboring counties in attendance, and Mayor Green asked them to stand in recognition after the county and state officials had been named.
“Thank you to all of our elected officials. We appreciate you coming, and we look forward to seeing you here next year,” concluded Mayor Green.
Chairwoman Hunt then stepped back up to the microphone and remarked that all elected officials in Washington County – city officials included – are Republican.
“We have them all now, county and city! So, that’s great. You don’t hear that in very many counties, so I appreciate everybody being here,” said Hunt. “It is a volatile time nationally and locally with a lot of other parties that just cannot accept where we’re at today. I think it takes a whole group of small-town, hard-working, conservative people to really push and keep the mindset of keeping this country great, working hard for our people, and putting us first.”
Hunt went on to announce that the main speaker, Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith was unable to attend the dinner due to it being the very last day of the legislative session.
“You may have noticed or heard that tonight changed just a little bit because it is still session season,” Hunt said. “I don’t know how many people have heard the term “sine die,” which is Latin for ‘without day.’ Legislative groups across the United States use that term to say that it is the last day of the legislative session to pass everything and be done for the season. So, that is what today is. So, you know we’re missing faces: we’re missing our state senators (Young, Banks and Byrne), state representatives (Houchin, Lucas, Engleman, and May), and we’re missing Lieutenant Governor Beckwith. That's because the senate still needs its senate president. So, everyone that normally would be here, and of course the speaker I had lined up (Beckwith), is at the state capital right now, and maybe will be until the early hours of the morning.
“That being said,” continued Hunt. “The Lt. Governor was gracious enough to put together a recorded message for us today. He’s apologizing of course because of how things worked out, and I promise to get him here for us – hopefully we can have an event in the summer and get everybody together.”
Lt. Governor Beckwith then appeared on a projector screen and addressed the Lincoln Day Dinner attendees with uplifting words and explained why he could not be in attendance.
Hey Washington County, this is Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith. I am so sorry that I cannot be with you tonight. I was looking forward to it, but the senate session basically got pushed to this day. It’s coming down to tonight – probably going to be here until midnight-ish because we’ve got a lot of bills that are coming through, so it’s going to be a long work evening. I have to be there, and unfortunately that means I cannot be with you all. But I just wanted to say, keep up the great work. It really takes all of us to row in the same direction, and it is no coincidence that I am here standing in front of a statue of George Washington, one of the greatest Americans to ever live. He fought the good fight, and sometimes you never know what the outcome of the battle is going to be. You have to remember that God does not always give us a picture of the outcome, He just tells us to take that next step. So, I would encourage you to do the same thing. Whatever you feel led to do: engage and show up. 90% of politics is just showing up, so the fact that you’re even here tonight is part of you doing your job. It takes a team to do that.
We’ve got some battles in the next four to eight years whether it is on the federal level, the state level, or the global level, but I think it’s worth fighting. The seas of liberty are always going to require a battle, and liberty is not man’s idea, it is God’s idea. I think you have to remember that if we want to pass on those amazing seas to our children, we’re going to have to step up and speak the hard truths. Do it in love, but speak the hard truths and make sure we don’t back down when people come to destroy the very foundations that this nation rests upon: the values of liberty, freedom and equality for everybody. We need to make sure as the Republican Party, we are stewards of that greatness. So, thank you again for being here, thank you for speaking up, thank you to the local GOP leadership in Washington County. You guys deserve a lot, and it’s a thankless job. You don’t get paid very much at all – and I say that sarcastically because you don’t get paid anything, but you take a lot of arrows and I appreciate you doing that.
The Governor sends his regards as well, and if we can help in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I will say this about Governor Braun and myself: I think we are probably one of the most successful administrations that we have had in the State of Indiana. You can call the governor up, and he will sit down and actually meet with you. You can call me up, and I will sit down and meet with you. I think right there that shows you that we want to work with you and talk with you. We don’t want to just do everything for you, we want to equip you to be able to lead your community as well. I think that is the heart of this administration, and I think we will see great proof of that throughout the next three, four – Lord willing – eight years.
Thank you again for what you are doing, and please keep it up. Let us know how we can help in any way. Again, I am sorry I cannot be there tonight, be we will make sure to get down there and be there physically as soon as we can. God bless you all.
Following Lt. Governor Beckwith’s video message, Chairwoman Hunt began to introduce the stand-in speaker of the evening.
“Although Lt. Governor Beckwith could not be here, I am not leaving us without a great speaker this evening. I would like to introduce the Indiana Republican Chair, Lana Keesling.
“Miss Keesling is the city clerk of Fort Wayne, and she was elected as the city’s first Republican clerk since 1971. She won a very competitive race against a well-funded Democratic opponent. Prior to that, Chairwoman Keesling served as Vice-Chair of the Allen County Republican Party and treasurer of the Third District Republican Congressional Committee. Please welcome Chairwoman Keesling.”
As an enthusiastic applause roared through the room, Keesling made her way to the microphone and began by declaring how great it felt to be in Washington County.
“Thank you everyone,” began Keesling. “It is an honor to be here in Washington County. I am proud to serve as a chairwoman for the Indiana Republican Party, and let me tell you, there is no better place to be a conservative than right here in Washington County: a proud, Pro-Trump, God-fearing, America-first corner of Southern Indiana.
Before I talk any further,” she continued. “It is my honor to recognize one of your own Washington County members – one of the hardest working Republicans here. As your state chair, I have the honor of giving out State Chairman Awards in counties with devoted people, and tonight we have someone that we are granting this to for their time, their talent, and their treasures for the success of the party. This person is a member of the Absentee Board, a long time poll worker, and a volunteer in her church and the Washington County Food Bank. Please join me in welcoming to the stage: Marcella Mahuron.
“We’ve got a lot to be proud of in our great state,” continued Keesling after taking photos with Mahuron. “In the last election, we delivered a clean conservative sweep. We elected Mike Braun as governor: a main street entrepreneur who is bringing his small town business experience to Indianapolis. We sent Jim Banks to the U.S. Senate to join Senator Todd Young. And right here in your backyard, you re-elected Congresswoman Erin Houchin.”
Keesling then pivoted to Governor Braun’s accomplishments within his first 100 days in office, touching on his executive orders, property tax cuts, and education overhauls.
“He has signed executive orders to make government smaller, smarter, and more efficient just like he promised us,” said Keesling. “He has delivered on his campaign pledge to cut property taxes, saving two thirds of Hoosier property owners money on their next tax bill. That is relief to families, farmers, and small business owners.
“On education, Governor Braun knows that not every student’s path looks the same, and he is revamping diplomas to better prepare kids for college, a career, or military service. That’s Indiana common sense in action,” she remarked.
She continued by mentioning that Braun has signed new price transparency laws that will “make healthcare bills easier to understand and harder to inflate.”
“All of that in just his first 100 days, and there is a lot more to come,” Keesling said. “I am honored to be the State Chairman for the Republican Party here in Indiana. I proudly work with Governor Braun and our state committee to strengthen our party, and to deliver conservative wins for Hoosiers in every corner of Indiana… My mission for the party is simple: it is to modernize, strengthen, and reignite our grassroots. From rural counties to city neighborhoods, all 92 counties in this state matter. I have visited 27 counties since taking office about nine weeks ago, and I have committed to visiting all 92 counties this year…
“Whether it is recruiting candidates, knocking on doors, or defending our values, you will have a state party that listens to and supports you… Let’s not forget we are the party of freedom, faith, hard work, and America-first. Together, we can ensure Indiana, and Washington County, stays red. Thank you for the opportunity tonight to talk with you,” concluded Keesling. “God bless all of you, God bless our Hoosier state, and God bless America.”
Concluding the Lincoln Day Dinner, Tara Coats Hunt presented Chairwoman Keesling with a photograph of our courthouse by Shayne Dowling. There was also a silent auction taking place during the dinner including items provided by Washington County officials and community members alike. Items included various Salem-related memorabilia, as well as a few Kentucky Derby items and gift certificates to local businesses. Winners of the silent auction items were announced by Dan Libka at the end of the evening, and was immediately followed by a benediction by Captain Joe Keltner of the Washington County Sheriff’s Department.
Following the event, The Washington County Times spoke with Mayor Justin Green and Sheriff Brent Miller regarding the evening and the impact it has on the community and the Republican Party.
“Events like these benefit the party by helping to keep it unified. It’s really a good energy boost for the party,” said Mayor Green.
“And networking too,” added Sheriff Miller. “Newly elected people are able to meet some of the other elected officials in order to network. So, you can really get a lot out of this.”
But the Lincoln Day dinner wasn't the only well-attended political event in Salem that evening.
Less than a mile away, at the American Legion Post 41, a separate gathering of over 75 people unfolded as the Washington County Democratic Party, the Ninth District Democratic Party, and Indiana Rural Summit hosted a community action event titled "Hearing Hoosier Voices".
Renee Mather, one of the organizers, opened the event by emphasizing the importance of civic engagement. "We want to hear your voice," she said. "So if you've been frustrated since January 22nd, if you've noticed some things happening in your bank accounts… if that's you, we want to talk about it. We want to know what you want to do."
Public speaker Dana Black of Indianapolis served as the event's emcee. She framed the evening as a defense of democratic values and individual freedoms. "It is a joy to be down here with you all as we stand strong for democracy," she began, "as we stand strong for what America believes in, and that's independence, and that we're going to look out for each other as a community."
"We're not gonna scare people, we're not gonna intimidate people, we're not gonna snatch them up off the streets because they have a different opinion," she continued. "We believe in making sure every child has a quality public education. We believe in collective bargaining and that workers have the ability to unionize. We believe that women have the right to choose what happens in their bodies, and we believe that our LGBTQ+ youth and adults deserve to live the life that they want to live. Basically, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, right?"
Black also emphasized unity over division. "Our job as citizens of this magnificent country is to make it a more perfect union. Not to tear it apart, and not to pit each other against each other. We're supposed to come together."
Throughout the evening, Black led chants with attendees, including "Stand Up, Fight Back" and "Love, Not Hate, Makes America Great." She also criticized Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith for using a state-funded $88,000 Chevy Tahoe High Country SUV purchased in February.
Adam Dickey, Ninth District Democratic Chair, addressed the recently released conference report for the state budget. "It balances the budget on the backs of working and middle class Hoosiers," he said. "It expands vouchers for the richest families in Indiana to send their kids to private schools on public tax dollars. It’ll cost hundreds of millions of dollars for that piece alone."
Dickey also criticized changes to proposed public health funding. "After promising to make Indiana healthy again when RFK Jr. came in, Governor Braun has turned and said that instead of $150 million, he's gonna slash it down to $40 million a year. That cuts county health programs, including critical funding for vaccine availability and opioid crisis relief. That's a 73% cut for local public health programs versus the version of the budget that passed the State House the first time around, mid-session."
Dickey concluded his remarks with a call to action: "I want you to be mad, because I want you to do something. This is a moment for collective involvement. We are here tonight to get something done. I need you to stand up, and I need you to show up. Good people need to come together to stand up to those down the street who would tear our democracy down."
David Ziemba, an attorney and political consultant, followed Dickey at the podium. "We are making good and necessary trouble," Ziemba said. "We have just passed 90 days of this administration. We have 3.9 years to go."
He also took aim at the record of the previous U.S. Congress. "The last Congress — speaking of Ms. Houchin, she's also in town, we can talk about her — was the most ineffective Congress in our country's history," he said.
"I’d get fired for not doing my job," Dana Black interjected.
"Dana, they’ve already fired people for doing their jobs!" Ziemba responded.
Other speakers included Kent Yeager, a farmer and rural advocate, who spoke on strengthening rural communities through well-funded education, childcare, healthcare, and food programs. He warned about the economic and environmental risks facing Indiana agriculture. "We have a major crisis in Indiana," Yeager said. "Trade is very important. Twenty percent of the agricultural production in this country is exported." He also suggested that recent extreme weather events may be linked to record-breaking carbon emissions.
Ryan Still, a veteran and Deputy Chair of Rural Engagement in Monroe County, spoke against the reduction of benefits for veterans, and Michelle Higgs of Indiana Rural Summit and Organizing Indiana remarked on rural disinvestment. "Being in rural spaces, and what our Republican supermajority has done over these last twenty years, is — it’s exploitative, is what it is," Higgs said. "[They're saying,] 'We’re going to find an invisible space, we're going to put toxic waste, we're going to defund the things that people need, we're going to actually put elected officials in rural communities that will legislate harmful laws that impact the state, but we're gonna put them coming from somebody in a rural place because they won't actually complain, because they won’t even know.' That's what's happening — we're being exploited and used time and time and time again."
As the evening came to a close in Salem, the two very different gatherings offered a vivid snapshot of Indiana’s evolving political landscape. For residents of Washington County, Thursday night underscored how decisions made in Indianapolis resonate far beyond the Statehouse — and how civic engagement, in all its forms, remains a driving force on both sides of the aisle.
Thank you for covering both of these events... helps our community know what's happening!