By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales on Thursday lost the support of key Indiana Republican allies as U.S. Senator Jim Banks and Attorney General Todd Rokita declared they no longer believe he is the party’s strongest nominee for November.
But Morales, showing no signs of backing down, says state convention delegates and not party insiders should decide the Republican nominee.
Banks, who endorsed Morales for reelection in March and previously called him a tireless advocate for Hoosier values, on Thursday endorsed Max Engling, an advisor in his Senate office.
Banks said the change of heart comes after Morales lied to him about hiring a noncitizen as his chief of staff who was illegally registered to vote, according to the Indiana Capital Chronicle.
Kosciusko County Republican Chair Mike Ragan quickly reposted the joint statement from Banks and Rokita on Facebook.
“I was concerned about it, and I was hoping that something like this would happen, so I was very pleased when I read about it and heard about it,” Ragan said in an interview with News Now Warsaw Thirsday afternoon.
Ragan describes Engling as popular and sharp and “operates above board in everything he
He said he thinks Englin will be a strong candidate when GOP delegates meet on June 20 in Fort Wayne for the party’s nominating convention.
Thursday marked the filing deadline for GOP candidates. Party officials confirmed that Morales and Max Engling — a senior adviser and regional director in Banks’ Senate office — as well as Knox County Clerk David Shelton and conservative activist Jamie Reitenour were eligible, Indiana Capital Chronicle reported.
Area resident Brian Smith, who chairs the Democratic Party’s Second Congressional District, said the decision by GOP leaders comes “four years too late,” considering the number of controversies Morales has faced.
Morales has been dogged by several controversies, ranging from the use of expensive vehicles to allegations of employing family members, as well as his penchant for international travel.
“The level of corruption and just straight-up hypocrisy is mind-boggling,” Smith said.
He said Republicans came to realize Morales would struggle if he faced Democrat Beau Bayh in the general election.
Bayh is promising to clean up the office and investigate some of Morales’ activities while in office.
“The very first thing he will do is … a true independent audit of the agency so we can just understand the level of corruption that Diego Morales conducted for the past four years,” Smith said.
