Skip to main content

Bickel, Kline and Terry Miller capture Republican nominations for county council at-large spots

Ron Kline (middle) cracks a smile at a Republican Party gathering at The Berg Ale Haus, in Huntington, in the aftermath of the race for the three GOP nominations to the at-large seats on the Huntington County Council. Kline, along with incumbent Shane Bickel and Terry Miller, came away with the nominations.
Ron Kline (middle) cracks a smile at a Republican Party gathering at The Berg Ale Haus, in Huntington, in the aftermath of the race for the three GOP nominations to the at-large seats on the Huntington County Council. Kline, along with incumbent Shane Bickel and Terry Miller, came away with the nominations. Photo by Steve Clark.

Shane Bickel, Ron Kline and Terry Miller captured the three Republican Party nominations to the at-large seats on the Huntington County Council in the primary election on Tuesday, May 3.

The three emerged victorious from a field of six candidates that included incumbent Jaime Miller, Mike Richard and Marshall Sanders.
Bickel, the race’s other incumbent, was delighted to get the chance to retain his seat in the general election.

“I appreciate all the people in Huntington County that voted me in,” says the retired Huntington police officer. “Appreciated the fact that they want me to continue to be on council for them and I’ll serve them the best I can do and always try to do what’s best for everybody.”

Kline credits the relationships he made with people in the community as the former proprietor of Handyman Service by Ron Kline with propelling him to victory.

“I think that was a big part of it,” he states. “I’ve had several past customers tell me, ‘You got my vote.’ They know me for my work ethic and they think that I’ll do a great job.”

Terry Miller was grateful to have secured one of the nominations, calling the race “hard fought.”

“I put my heart and soul into it,” he says. “I really wanted to do this for the taxpayers of Huntington County and to represent them financially. We take care of the budgets for the county. I really believe in my hometown people and they (came) up big.”

Jaime Miller expressed disappointment that he wouldn’t get the opportunity to serve another term.

“I really wanted to,” he says. “I like doing the job and I like serving our community and I just wish I could have done another term.
“But we’ll live with it and move on and I’ll serve out the rest of my term with respect.”

Despite not coming away with one of the nominations, Sanders pledged that he would remain committed to serving the county.

“I look forward to continuing to serve this community in every capacity that I have and a lot of those opportunities don’t require election,” he says. “Lots of opportunities to volunteer and that’s what I intend to do.”

Richard remarked that he was pleased with the amount of votes he received given that he lived outside the county for 20 years and had only been back for a few years.

In the race to obtain the GOP nomination for the 50th District seat in the Indiana House of Representatives, incumbent Dan Leonard fended off a challenge from Ted Harber.

“I think that a challenge in a primary or a general election makes you sharper, makes you do your job better,” says Leonard. “I think that’s a part of the process.”

Todd Nightenhelser had a disappointing night, losing the Democrat nomination for United States Representative in District 3 to Fort Wayne resident Tommy Schrader.

He says a lack of money, which prevented him from advertising properly, contributed to his defeat.

“I think this is a reflection of the greater party in the area,” the Huntington businessman says, adding that his party didn’t have the resources to back him properly in the race. “It’s all about media and advertising, and I got no real support in either.

“I know I ran a good election. I talked to thousands of people, gave out thousands of cards.”

Nightenhelser says he’s going to concentrate on work, not politics, in the future.

“When it comes to politics, I’m pretty sure I’m done,” he says.