By Tom Davies
Indiana Capital Chronicle
A judge is being asked to remove from the primary ballot a candidate with the same last name as President Donald Trump’s endorsed challenger to a Republican state senator who opposed the Indiana congressional redistricting plan.
The court action was filed by a top political ally of Gov. Mike Braun, who is supporting Brenda Wilson, who is a Vigo County Council member, in her bid against Sen. Greg Goode of Terre Haute.
The petition submitted by prominent conservative attorney Jim Bopp claims the Indiana Election Commission wrongly interpreted state law in allowing Alexandra Wilson’s name to remain on the ballot in the Senate District 38 primary.
Bopp’s petition repeats his arguments to the commission last week that Alexandra Wilson was ineligible for the primary ballot because of a state law prohibiting someone convicted of a felony crime from holding elected office.
Alexandra Wilson pleaded guilty to a 2010 Vermillion County charge of resisting law enforcement at the age of 19. Her attorney, Samantha Dewester, told the Election Commission that while the original charge was a low-level Class D felony, the judge accepted the plea agreement of a Class A misdemeanor with a year of probation.
Bopp asked in the Clay County court petition filed Monday for a judge to overturn the Election Commission’s action and remove Alexandra Wilson from the primary ballot.
The petition argues that state law “expressly applies when, as here, a person pleads guilty to a Class D Felony, regardless of whether it is ‘converted’ to or judgment is entered as a Class A misdemeanor.”
State Election Division officials did not immediately comment Tuesday to the Indiana Capital Chronicle about the court request.
While Clay County is part of the Senate district, Dewester questioned why the petition was filed with a court there rather than in Vigo County, where all the candidates live, or Marion County, where the Election Commission is based.
“The findings of the Indiana Election Commission were based on the facts presented to them, state statutes and common sense,” Dewester told the Capital Chronicle. “I am confident in our position and stand by the decision to keep Alexandra Wilson on the ballot.”
Bopp is requesting expedited action by the court, as county election offices must start mailing requested absentee ballots on March 21 ahead of the May 5 primary.
Bopp told the Capital Chronicle last week that he considered Alexandra Wilson’s candidacy a ballot “trick” by local Republicans to help Goode survive the primary by taking votes away from Brenda Wilson, whom Trump endorsed in January.
Brenda Wilson is among four active primary challengers endorsed by Trump running against Goode and other Republican senators who, in December, joined with Democrats in the 31-19 vote defeating the redistricting plan aimed at giving GOP candidates all nine of Indiana’s U.S. House seats.
Vigo County Republican Party Chair Randy Gentry, who certified Alexandra Wilson for a GOP candidacy, denied Bopp’s accusation of ballot manipulation.
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The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.
