Last Thursday, the Indiana Republican Fourth Congressional District Committee considered a complaint filed against me by Morgan County Republican Chairman Carole Snyder.
The issue was simple: I am supporting a Libertarian candidate in the general election instead of the Republican nominee.
On Monday, the committee issued its decision. Because of that support, I was found to be a Republican in “bad standing,” removed from my position as a Morgan County Republican Precinct Committeeman, and prohibited from running for or holding office as a Republican until after the 2030 election cycle.
I respect the committee’s authority to make its decision under the Republican Party rules.
And I stand by mine.
I have been a Republican for years. I have supported Republican candidates, volunteered my time, served my precinct, participated in our local party and believed deeply in many of the principles the Republican Party represents.
None of that changed because I chose to support one candidate outside of my party.
What changed was my willingness to put a letter beside someone’s name ahead of what I believe is best for Morgan County.
I couldn’t do that.
Local elections are personal in a way national politics often are not. These are the people who make decisions affecting our neighbors, our families, our businesses and our community. In a judicial race especially, I believe character, temperament, integrity, experience and fairness matter more than party affiliation.
I understand political parties have rules. I also understand that serving as a party official comes with expectations. The committee determined that my public support of a Libertarian candidate violated those expectations, and there are consequences for that choice.
I knew that was possible.
But there is a bigger question here for me, and I think it is one worth asking, regardless of whether you are a Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or independent:
When you walk into the voting booth, are you voting for a party, or are you voting for the person you genuinely believe is best for the job?
For me, the answer is people over party.
That does not mean parties do not matter. They do. Political parties organize around shared values and principles, recruit candidates and give voters an idea of what those candidates generally stand for.
But a political party should never replace our individual responsibility to think.
I don’t believe loyalty requires me to surrender my judgment.
I don’t believe supporting one candidate from another party erases years of supporting conservative principles or Republican candidates.
And I certainly don’t believe Morgan County is better served when people are afraid to publicly say, “I believe this is the better person for the job.”
There is another part of this story that deserves to be said.
I didn’t make this decision for just one reason.
Over time, I became increasingly concerned with the direction of our local Republican Party and decisions made by its leadership. I watched disagreements become personal. I watched questions about candidates, participation and party processes create division rather than conversation. I reached a point where remaining silent simply to remain in good standing with the party felt inconsistent with the very principles that led me to become involved in the first place.
People may disagree with my conclusions. That’s OK.
In fact, that is exactly the point.
We should be able to disagree.
We should be able to question our own party.
We should be able to look at two candidates and decide for ourselves who has earned our vote.
And we should be able to do those things without treating one another as enemies.
I did not leave my values behind when I made this decision.
I followed them.
I believe in accountability. I believe in limited government. I believe in personal responsibility. I believe in strong communities. And I believe voters, not political organizations, ultimately decide who represents them.
Being removed as a precinct committeeman does not change those beliefs.
Neither does being labeled in “bad standing.”
I knew speaking publicly could cost me a title. I decided I would rather lose a title than stay quiet about something I genuinely believe matters to Morgan County.
Some will agree with me. Some absolutely will not.
I can live with both.
What I could not live with was asking other people to vote their conscience while being unwilling to vote mine.
So, yes, I remain proud of the years I spent serving as a Republican precinct committeeman.
I am grateful for the people I met and the opportunity I had to serve.
And I accept the consequence of the decision I made.
But when Election Day comes, I will do exactly what I have encouraged others to do:
Learn about the candidates.
Ask questions.
Look beyond the letter beside their names.
Decide who you believe will serve Morgan County with integrity.
Then vote accordingly.
For me, it will always be people over party.
Angie Turley is a Mooresville business owner who lives in Madison Township.
