Republicans take majority on Charlesown council

Clark County

Discussion

November 7, 2007

Three GOP candidates victorious Tuesday; one Democrat hangs on

By DAVID MANN The News and Tribune Wed Nov 07, 2007, 09:22 AM EST

Sellersburg is no longer the Republican capital of Clark County: The torch has been passed to Charlestown.

During Tuesday’s election, voters ousted Democrats in all but one race in town, leaving a majority Republican Council and a Republican Mayor in charge of city affairs. Republican Bob Hall won the town’s hotly contested mayoral race, knocking off incumbent Mayor Mike Hall.

Republican Mark Goodlett ousted longtime incumbent Democrat Bruce Bottorff in the town’s at-large race by a 55 percent to 45 percent margin. Republican Scott McKechnie defeated Democrat Bill Resch by a 53 to 47 percent margin in a race without an incumbent. And Republican newcomer Dan Roberts knocked out Democrat incumbent Brian Walker by a 52 percent to 48 percent margin. The only Democrats to hang on were Terry Pierce — who knocked off Republican challenger George Roberts in a 55 percent to 45 percent race — and unopposed council Democrat Jeff Aaron. Next year’s 3-2 Republican majority council will be replacing this year’s 4-1 Democrat majority body.

Republican victors were in one place following the election results Tuesday night.

“I think we had a great night,” said Goodlett. He said he’s looking forward to getting to the task of city business next year. Dan Roberts called it “a good night for Charlestown.

“I knew that it was going to be tough,” he said. He commented that he was glad to be on the city council and was also ready to get started on the business before the city.

At Democrat headquarters, Pierce was the only one of his council colleagues still hanging around after the results came in favor of their opponents.

“I’m just glad to have survived,” Pierce said. He said he hopes the newly elected Republicans will be willing to work with him and fellow Democrat Aaron during the next four years. He said he’s been in city government with Republican mayor Bob Hall in the past — as Hall held the mayoral seat from 2000 to 2004 — and was able to work with him during that time on most issues.

Republicans as well expressed willingness to work with two council members that kept their jobs after the election. “After today we need to put partisan politics aside,” Goodlett said.