Richwine turns back challenge from Ricker for Madison County commissioner

May 7—ANDERSON — Incumbent Madison County Commissioner John Richwine won the Republican Party nomination for a run at a sixth term.

Richwine turned back a strong challenge Tuesday from Lisa Rinker in a contest that stayed close throughout the tabulating of the vote.

Richwine won by 92 votes over Rinker to prevail by a thin 0.72% margin.

"I knew it was going to be close," Richwine said. "A win is a win; it feels good. If I would have lost being a nice guy, I would have gone out as being a nice guy."

Richwine said that, during the next four years, the two major bid projects for the board of commissioners to manage will be the construction of a new jail and establishing a county park system.

Rinker said she ran the best campaign she could. She wouldn't comment on a possible run for elective office in the future.

In the primary for the District 2 seat on the Madison County Board of Commissioners Rick Gardner, currently Madison County auditor, easily defeated Devin Norrick.

Incumbent Darlene Likens didn't run for another term.

"I'm a little shocked by the results," Gardner said of receiving 59% of the vote and winning by almost 2,400 votes.

"I thought it would be closer than that," he said. "Have to worry about the fall election but ready to hit the ground running on Jan. 1 as a commissioner. Hope I make it through the general election."

Norrick said he was surprised by the margin, adding he did everything he could during the campaign.

"People weren't ready for a change," he said. "I don't know if I will run again; the county isn't ready for a change."

Norrick said he wouldn't run a negative campaign, adding that Gardner didn't run a negative campaign.

Norrick said he walked door to door, sent out mailers and put out 500 signs around the county.

"I called Rick," he said. "I was trying to build bridges."

Gardner will run in the November election against Democrat Ollie H. Dixon, who was unopposed in the primary.

Dixon is a long-term member of Anderson City Council.

Norrick and Rinker aligned with a faction of the local Republican Party that was looking to make a change in the party leadership in 2025 along with auditor candidate Katherine Callahan, who lost a bid for that nomination to Todd Culp.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.