ICYMI: JFK Dinner Recap
Around 100 enthusiastic Spencer County Democrats descended on the Spencer County 4-H Center Sunday for their annual JFK Dinner & Silent Auction. The event is held every year just before the primary as both a party fundraiser and as an opportunity for local Democratic party supporters to hear from candidates and party officials.
The party welcomed 8th District candidate for U.S. Representative, Ed Sein, U.S. Senate candidates Marc Carmichael and Dr. Valerie McCray, candidate for State Representative Dist. 74, Bob Compton, County Council At-Large candidate, John Hurley, and 8th District Democratic Chairman Dave Crooks.
The program began with remarks from both Democratic candidates for United State Senate so that they could leave to travel to an event later in the afternoon in Vincennes. First up, the crowd heard from Marc Carmichael. Carmichael is a former member of the Indiana House of Representatives and a graduate of Notre Dame. After leaving the General Assembly, he became the Director of Governmental Affairs for the Indiana Gas Company. He later became president of the Indiana Beverage Alliance, a position he retired from in 2020. Carmichael said his first priority upon becoming a U.S. Senator would be restoring the federal abortion protections that had been guaranteed by the Roe v. Wade decision. “I have four granddaughters and when the Dobbs decision was handed down, I knew that I had to do something,” Carmichael said. “They now have fewer rights than their mothers or their grandmothers had when it came to managing their own bodies.” Carmichael emphasized that he knows how to win and has the ability to defeat the Republican candidate, Jim Banks. He also championed his ability to work across the aisle with Republicans to get things done.
Next it was time for the other U.S. Senate candidate, Dr. Valerie McCray to introduce herself to the crowd. Dr. McCray was born and raised in Indiana, nurtured in Indianapolis K-12 public schools and is a graduate of Arsenal Tech High School. She earned a BA, MA, and Ph.D from University of Michigan, all while navigating the challenges of being a single mother. With 35 years in the psychology field, McCray said she has witnessed how U.S. policies profoundly affect the mental well-being of our people. McCray emphasized her experiences working directly with veterans struggling with PTSD, incarcerated individuals in desperate need of support and rehabilitation, youth struggling to overcome the effects of violence, and more. Dr. McCray believes mental health must be a national priority and that our nation’s challenges must be addressed one mental health crisis at a time. “As a mental health clinician, I bring a unique perspective to Congress because I understand firsthand how policy impacts the lives of real people. I’m not just talking about statistics; I’m talking about the human beings behind those numbers. Whether it’s improving access to care, addressing root causes of trauma, or advocating for policies that support mental wellness, I will be a tireless advocate for the well-being of every American,” McCray said.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation by Tan Mayhall, a pork loin meal was served. Next former State Representative and current 8th District Democratic Chairman, Dave Crooks, thanked everyone for attending and introduced 8th District Congressional candidate, Ed Sein. Sein, originally from New York, has been a resident of Boonville for over 20 years where he and his wife have raised their family. Sein has a B.S in history from the University of Southern Indiana and has enjoyed a career as a professional guitarist as well as a sales manager and sales specialist. Sein lamented the vitriol and mean spiritedness now infecting politics and the way legislators talk about each other and fellow Americans, saying enough is enough. “I’m not a career politician pretending to be one of you. I’m a middle-class, working American who wants a better life for his children, and his neighbors. I share your economic struggles. I share your need for an America ruled by fair and just laws. I share your desires for an America where responsibility and accountability apply to all – regardless of wealth or office. I share your compassion to give Americans a leg up when they need help. We hope for the same things. Changing Congress is the only way our hopes can be realized. And Congress can only be changed from within,” Sein said.
Following remarks from Sein, Bob Compton stepped to the podium as the only Democratic candidate running for State Representative in District 74 which consists of all of Spencer, Perry, and Crawford Counties, and portions of Dubois and Orange Counties. Compton lives in Lincoln City with his wife Cathy and is a retired middle school science teacher and coach from Heritage Hills. If elected, Compton said he wants to ease the tax burden on the middle class by working to lower the sales tax and implement a progressive income tax system where the wealthy and large corporations pay more of their fair share. Compton also spoke of his support for public education, saying he favors fully funding public schools, funding universal pre-K for all 3 and 4 year-olds in Indiana, and working to create affordable child care. Addressing healthcare in Indiana, Compton told the crowd, “I will vote to restore Roe v. Wade in Indiana and I will vote to give women the freedom to control their own reproductive health care.” Compton also emphasized the need to protect Hoosier wetlands, to transition to greener forms of energy to address climate change, and to improve infrastructure by modernizing rural roads. Compton ended his remarks by answering the question of why he chose to run, saying that democracy and freedom are under attack and he will work each and every day to restore trust in democracy and government agencies.
Finally, candidate for Spencer County Council At-large, John Hurley stepped forward to address local Democrats. Hurley is a Career and Technical educator at South Spencer High School. He is a union member and lifelong resident of Spencer County. Hurley began by asking if everyone had received their property tax notices recently and if anyone’s taxes had increased. After many hands went up, Hurley said to laughter from the crowd, “Now before certain individuals with a certain group claims otherwise, nobody in this room had anything to do with that tax increase. I just wanted to get that out of the way up front.” Hurley noted that Spencer County has great potential, being situated on the Ohio River with multiple major highways and two nearby metropolitan regions. “Yet we have experienced population decline, lack of housing, reduced investment, limited public input, issues that pit neighbor against neighbor, and missed opportunities,” Hurley said. He added that far too many decisions are being made by a few individuals behind closed doors and not in the public view. Hurley would address these issues by promoting regular communication among town and county officials and involve the public. He would increase accessibility of county government through discussion of meeting times and business hours. He would also clarify, define and publish responsibilities, jurisdiction, and processes among towns, buffer zones, townships, and county authorities. He said he also would want to regularly review and update ordinances, policy, and a long-term plans for Spencer County and work with local organizations to attract and maintain the best options for the county.
The afternoon concluded with chairman Dan Wilkinson thanking everyone for attending and recognizing county officers, office holders, and special guests in attendance. Emcee Jim Anderson wrapped things up by announcing the half-pot winner door prize winners, and silent auction winners.
The next Spencer County Democratic Party events will be the annual golf scramble at Christmas Lake Golf Course on Monday, June 3rd and the annual Democratic Fish Fry on July 28th. For more information about Spencer County Democratic Party activities, visit spencerdemocrats.org.
