Mike Ragan of Warsaw has announced he is a candidate for chairman of the Kosciusko County Republican Party. Ragan will be up against current chairman Randall Girod in the March 2 election.

Ragan is a retired businessman and has been married to his wife, Deanna, for 45 years. Mike was born and raised in Kosciusko County and comes from several generations in this area, including ancestors who fought in the Civil War.
He is a current elected precinct committeeman and is a pro-life, pro-family, fiscally conservative Republican.

“I had been asked for several months to be the candidate, but I resisted,” said Ragan. “However, I was in a meeting a couple of weeks ago with some longtime friends and business leaders who prodded me to run. We ran this proposal past several other local Republican leaders for confirmation, and was soon convinced I needed to run.

“I think we can be more inclusive and get more people involved. I believe I have some very positive ideas to help improve our party and am excited to have this opportunity to serve,” he added.

Girod will be seeking another term as Kosciusko County Republican Chairman. He told StaceyPageOnline.com, “I have been involved in many levels of local politics: I have served as a precinct committeeman for 29 years, been a delegate to numerous Indiana Republican conventions, been a County Coordinator to Republican nominees for the U.S. Senate and Governor, a campaign chairman and a campaign treasurer for numerous local candidates, and been an active participant in Kosciusko Republican activities and functions.

“I have also had the profound honor of serving as an elected official as Kosciusko County Prosecuting Attorney.”

Girod said he has worked diligently and conscientiously to “preserve and sustain the fine Republican heritage of our county. And I am pleased to report that my fellow partners in the Kosciusko Republican Central committee: Marsha McSherry, Christy Polk and Steve Foster, will be running with me for another term in their respective positions of vice chairman, secretary and treasurer.”

All Kosciusko County Republican Precinct committee men and women and vice committee men and women are eligible to vote on March 2.