A Republican operative and son of the politically connected Marian University president will lead the struggling Marion County GOP.
Joe Elsener, who has worked extensively with Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb s campaign and the state party, won the race for county party chair in a caucus open to roughly 480 party officials known as precinct and vice precinct committeemen on Saturday.
The local GOP would not disclose how many votes were cast for the three candidates, which also included John Schmitz and Alex Henby, but said there were 256 total votes.
The change in leadership comes at a time when many within the party highlight a need for stability and a rebound from staggering election losses on the 25-seat Indianapolis City-County Council, which now has just five Republican members.