HAYDEN J EMRAH
WZBD
Members of both local and state Republican politics gathered at 2 Brothers Bar and Restaurant in Decatur this week to celebrate the holidays, recount this year’s achievements, and hear guest speakers, including special guest Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales.
The event, which was dressed with red GOP signs that went along well with the holiday decor, was also a chance for prominent members of Adams County’s Republican Party to meet state politicians and hear their insights on policy issues, such as Senator Andy Zay and Jon Kenworthy, who are both running for Indiana Congressional District 3. Prominent GOP members in attendance also included Senator Travis Holdman, and State Representative and Indiana House Majority Floor leader Matt Lehman.
After opening remarks by Adams County Republican Party Chairman Steve Justus, Diego Morales took to the podium to address attendees on his insights as Indiana’s Secretary of State, as well as the progress he has made in the past year. Morales emphasized that every county he represents is equally important to him, saying that Adams County is equally important to him as the other 91 counties in Indiana.
He discussed the headway he has made as the first Hispanic person to hold an Indiana statewide office position, and what it means to him to be born in Guatemala, immigrate to the United States and earn citizenship.
“First and foremost I am honored to be your secretary of state. It is the honor of my life, as the first Hispanic-Latino secretary of state in the history of Indiana […] now tell me if that’s not progress.”
Morales then mentioned how in the first six months of being elected to his position, he visited the clerk’s offices for all 92 counties, meeting with them and asking how he can help. One of the many responsibilities for a Secretary of State includes the oversight of election processes, so opening a dialogue with clerk’s offices throughout the state helps to solidify fair and equal elections.
One of the ways Morales has addressed this issue is by supporting HR 1334. Passed May of this year, the bill expands photo ID requirements for absentee voting, adds the step of matching voter information with BMV information, as well as providing contingencies for when voter information is considered confidential.
Morales then discussed the opportunity he was a part of this year where he–along with nine other state secretaries–were selected to go to Taiwan to further international relations. The program, of which Morales emphasized was not funded by taxpayer money, was part of the National Association of Secretaries of State, and seeks to expand trading relations with Taiwan in the sectors of science, agriculture and education, among others.
“So I was able to be in Taiwan, promoting Indiana. And I’m happy to tell you that we were there, promoting our Hoosier farmers: our crops, soybeans, our corn. And I’m happy to tell you that now, folks from Taiwan are going to buy Indiana pork, Indiana corn, and Indiana Soybeans,” said Secretary of State Diego Morales on his delegation to Taiwan in September of this year.
Morales concluded his speech by thanking the Adams County GOP for hosting the event, and wishing luck to all of those in the congressional and state representative elections coming in the 2024 election cycle.
Also in attendance for the event were campaign members of several state, as well as national, politicians, who were all gathering signatures for their respective candidates in order to place them on the ballot. These campaign members represented people such as Wendy Davis for IN congressional District 3, Suzanne Crouch for Governor, Brad Chambers for governor, and former President Donald Trump for the next presidential election.
To summarize the event was Adams County Treasurer Edgar Dyer, who, when asked his opinion of the reception, said, “it was good, I really enjoyed it. Tonight was a time to celebrate the accomplishments of the year, the recent municipal elections, and to look forward to 2024 because it’s going to be one heck of a year with lots of stuff going on, locally, statewide, and nationally.”