Welker Wins Republican Nomination for Pulaski Circuit Judge

Spectators await election results at Pulaski County Courthouse

A tight race for circuit court judge was one of the big attractions in Pulaski County’s Primary Election Tuesday. Mary Welker narrowly beat Tim Murray for the Republican Party nomination, with 50.6 percent of the vote over Murray’s 49.4 percent. That was a margin of just 22 votes.

Ronald “Rudy” DeSabatine is the Republican Party’s nominee for County Council District 2. He beat Douglas Roth by a margin of about 55-to-45 percent.

Three candidates sought the District 4 Pulaski County Council seat. Incumbent Democrat Linda Powers survived a challenge from Jessye Gilley by a margin of 63-to-33 percent, in Pulaski County’s only contested Democratic Party race. Powers goes on to face Republican Brian Young in November.

District 3 County Commissioner Mike McClure also heads to November’s General Election, after beating Republican challenger Tyler Campbell by a margin of 65-to-35 percent. Coroner John Behny fended off a challenge from Alan Mitchell, by a margin of about 64-to-36 percent.

Superior Court Judge Crystal Brucker Kocher, Prosecutor Dan Murphy, Sheriff Jeff Richwine, Assessor Holly VanDerAa, and Surveyor Jenny Weaver-Keller were all unopposed.

All town and township offices on Pulaski County’s ballot were uncontested in the primary. Alvin Parish, Dave Schambers, and Dan Vanaman will vie for the two at-large seats on the Winamac Town Council in November.

Pulaski County reported a voter turnout of exactly 25 percent of registered voters. Nearly a quarter of those casting ballots voted absentee. There were no provisional ballots.

Click here for complete results, including uncontested races.

Breakdowns by precinct are available here.

IT Consultant Willie DeGroot updates election returns at Pulaski County Courthouse