Thoughts on the Republican state convention

I was elected as a delegate to the state convention last month, so that's where I was on June 11. It was an exciting time and a lot of fun, and we have a strong ticket moving into the November election.

Dawn Wooten gave an impassioned speech but she was overwhelmed by Jennifer McCormick's campaign. McCormick was more organized, had far more supporters and more funding. Some delegates I talked to had concerns over McCormick's stances on issues, but she'll be a dramatic improvement over Glenda Ritz and had a positive vision for moving forward.

Speaking of organized campaigns, all four candidates for attorney general were there in force but Curtis Hill had arguably the best organization - including the backing of several IU College Republican officers. I thought Steve Carter deserved another term after serving well for eight years after being elected in 2000, and he has proven himself to be a statewide winner. However, the majority of delegates felt differently.

This was a reverse Hobson's choice for delegates, though. There were no bad options in that race, as there were four very qualified and experienced candidates. Curtis Hill is a poised, articulate, experienced candidate who commands respect. I was shocked to see how poorly Abby Kuzma did in the first round, especially since she is a deputy AG under incumbent Greg Zoeller.

It is good to see such a strong Republican Party in the state of Indiana, which will hopefully push back against the agenda of whichever candidate becomes President in November.