Republican Diego Morales won Tuesday despite troubling questions about his background, indicating Indiana fits into a one-party state.
Morales won in a while before 10 p. m. On Tuesday and Democrat Destiny Wells conceded about 20 minutes later. With about 92 percent of the votes counted Wednesday afternoon, Morales got 54 percent of the vote, Wells got 40 percent of the vote and Libertarian James Maurer got about 6 percent of the vote.
Morales’ victory assured the GOP complete and continued over Indiana state government, leaving Hoosier’s Democrats once again grappling with a disappointing election night. the excess of controversies that Morales faced.
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“The fact still prevails,” Morales told a small but vocal crowd of status supporters Tuesday at the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis. “Let me repeat: the fact prevails.
In a speech to supporters at Nevermore Union Station a mile away Tuesday, Wells said his crusade had failed. He spent his time talking about what awaits Indiana in the next 4 years.
“It’s very serious,” he said. We were on the verge of something amazing: an incredible opportunity for Indiana with this office. We were about to return to blue Indiana for the first time in a decade, but we got a little lost. Now it’s up to you, Hoosiers, to secure our elections because our next Secretary of State will want all our help in a very vital way.
Laura Merrifield Wilson, a political science professor at the University of Indianapolis, attributed Wells’ loss to two factors: direct electorate in a Republican state and a nationwide anti-Biden wave.
“Every time the party in power,” Merrifield Wilson said, “it’s going to be punished in the next election cycle. “
Morales also edged Wells this year in the race for a top dollar as Republicans poured cash into their coffers. Morales raised just under $1. 06 million, while Wells raised less than $742,000.
During his campaign, Morales criticized having been fired once from the secretary of state’s workplace and having resigned at another time after questions were raised about his performance. Since his victory, two women have accused Morales of sexual assault, accusations he has strongly denied. He also accused of exaggerating his experience in the military, with records indicating he spent three months and 18 days on active duty as part of his education stage and separated before the end of his eight-year commitment.
And, IndyStar columnist James Briggs wrote that he possibly violated Indiana election law in 2018 because records show he kept the number one in Marion County while voting twice in Hendricks County registered at another address.
Morales declined an interview with an IndyStar reporter Tuesday after his election speech.
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Morales, a former Pence aide, earned a spot in the November poll after defeating incumbent Secretary of State Holli Sullivan at the Republican conference in June. He has an anti-establishment favorite among party members disappointed with Gov. Eric Holcomb’s handling of the coronavirus. pandemic. Holcomb had selected Sullivan to fill former Secretary of State Connie Lawson’s rest when she resigned before the end of her term.
Morales campaigned on the concept that he is an example of the American dream, having emigrated from Guatemala before securing various positions in state government, for the Pence administration.
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“We from scratch,” Morales said in his victory speech. “. . . they now have a son chosen as the next and first Latino-Hispanic Secretary of State in Indiana. “
At times in his campaign, Morales questioned the validity of the 2020 electoral effects and advised establishing more guarantees in the process, adding that each Hoosiers are required to attach a photo of their ID to request a vote by mail and take effect. More audits. He also advised at one point to reduce the number of early voting days, but then repositioned his mind.
Meanwhile, Wells, an attorney who has worked for both the city and the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, has devoted much of her attention this campaign cycle to focusing on the need for the state’s most sensible election official to motivate voter confidence in the election results. a search in Morales.
In his speech, Wells reflected on the kindness with which he won the election campaign. It’s going to take over the entire party, regardless of factions, and Republicans looking for a new home to think about expanding the Indiana Democratic Party, he said.
Mike Schmuhl, chairman, praised Wells.
“The numbers keep coming. We’ll see what it looks like, though, Destiny ran a great campaign,” he said. “She traveled all over this state. “
While Morales has already claimed victory, the final vote count in the race is also vital for the libertarian party: if the party claims 2% of the vote, which it is on track to do, it makes it into the general election. If the party had won 10% of the vote, it may have only participated in the state’s number one process.
Call IndyStar Statehouse and political control reporter Kaitlin Lange at 317-432-9270 or she at kaitlin. lange@indystar. com. Follow her on Twitter: @kaitlin_lange.