Is Steve Shine on the Way Out?

Posted by Jeff Pruitt - 2/19/08 @ 1:54 am - Filed Under 2008 Local Elections, Featured

Fort Wayne News had an interesting post up yesterday that talks about a movement within the Allen County Republican Party to oust chairman Steve Shine. The claim is that this faction will submit several candidate filings for precinct committeemen positions at the very last minute in hopes that those backing Shine won’t have a chance to react. Afterwards these people will use their position to replace Shine with councilman Mitch Harper.

I find this interesting on two fronts:

  1. Why is Turkette breaking this story now? It seems like his post would completely mitigate the surprise tactics being planned. Although I do find it incredibly hard to believe that such a coup could be planned without Shine getting wind of it anyway.
  2. I think Harper can be an effective chairman or councilman but not both. The duties of council almost require one to stay above the fray. In other words there are certain things you can say and do as county chair that you just can’t say as councilman. It will be interesting to hear Harper’s response to his name being bantered about.

I’ve spoken with “high ranking” officials within the party and I know some of them want change. The question is at what cost?

(photo credit - Shine & Hardin Law)

Comments

7 Responses to “Is Steve Shine on the Way Out?”

  1. Mike Sylvester on February 19th, 2008 7:20 am

    If Dan is correct that would mean that a faction of local Republicans has been calling other Republicans and recruiting people to run for office.

    If this was done I am sure Steve Shiine caught wind of it within a few days…

    Mike Sylvester

  2. Dan Turkette on February 19th, 2008 8:28 am

    Steve’s been aware of it for sometime now, but I’ve not confirmed that with Steve personally. As for breaking the story now, it’s no surprise.

    As for Harper, I think he could bring together some of the factions and I do not believe that being party chair, (even if only until the election next March) would hamper his abilities on city council.

    Also, there are other competent potential candidates.

  3. Sam T. on February 19th, 2008 9:03 am

    First of all, I think Steve Shine survives. I am out of the loop now so I have no idea if this movement is even going on, but Steve has done a nice job in some very rough circumstances.

    However, I cannot see Mitch Harper as GOP Chairman. Mitch is a little too much of a policy wonk and does not seem like the type that could enthuse the various factions to come together.

  4. Kevin Knuth on February 19th, 2008 9:09 am

    I thought Shine was just re-elected in 2007. I thought that was for a four year term?

  5. Jeff Pruitt on February 19th, 2008 9:53 am

    Kevin,

    Turkette posted the following rules from the Indiana State Republican Party:

    Rule 3-42. A meeting of the County Committee may be convened at any other time
    upon call of the County Chairman, or upon written notice signed by not less than
    twenty-five per cent (25%) of the members of the County committee (whether
    elected or appointed).

    Rule 3-43. (a) At a meeting called under Rule 3-42, a member of the County
    Committee may make a motion to call for a special meeting to consider the removal
    of one or more officers of the County Committee, who must be specifically identified
    in the motion. This motion, if seconded, must be taken under consideration
    immediately by the County Committee.

    Those rules would seem to indicate that the chairman could be ousted at any time…

  6. Kevin Knuth on February 19th, 2008 10:29 am

    Jeff, I do not argue that- my point is that Turkette also wrote (in his comments here): “even if only until the election next March”.

    I don’t think there is an election next March.

    I will also weigh in on the idea of Harper being Chair. It would be difficult. When he speaks, he would have to clarify if he was speaking as CHAIRMAN (someone representing the Party), or as a COUNCILMAN (someone representing the people of his district- many of which are Democrats).

    It would get sticky pretty quick.

  7. david c roach on February 20th, 2008 1:49 am

    bullwinkle sez: (bullmoose?)
    hey rocky! watch me pull some candidates out of my hat!
    again? that trick never works!
    nothing up my sleeve…PRESTO!
    and whats ROACH up to? guess you’ll hae to wait and see.
    btw- I voted shine in, and he’s done as good a job as anybody.Its a thankless job, without pay, and for what?
    methinks a conspiracy is afoot by the local radical fundamentalist “kool-aid drinkers”
    to make allen county a theocratic state. today allen county, tomorrow, the world!
    that will kill the local economy for sure.
    theres lots of “liberal
    GOP’er- Arnold Schwarzenegger, for instance, and others who arent “talibans, or “islamic Republicans”

Leave a Reply