MADISON TOWNSHIP — Angie Turley, an elected Republican precinct committeeman representing Madison Township, was removed from office Monday night by the Indiana Republican Fourth Congressional District Committee following Turley’s endorsement of a candidate from another political party.
“Our rules clearly state that party office holders, such as precinct committeemen, risk removal from office if they support candidates from other parties against Republican nominees,” the committee’s opinion reads.
In addition to her removal, Turley was found to be in “bad standing” with the Republican Party, and as such, may not run for or hold office as a Republican until after the 2030 election cycle, given that she improves her standing with the party.
Turley caught the ire of Morgan County Republican Party chair Carole Snyder after Snyder learned that Turley had been promoting Jarrett Ksenak’s campaign for Superior Court 1 judge.
Running against Republican judge candidate Jerry Smith, Ksenak first sought to run as an independent, but after failing to acquire the necessary signatures, he ultimately jumped onto the Libertarian Party ticket back in June.
Turley has supported Ksenak’s effort from early on, and that support followed him in his switch to the Libertarian ticket.
Snyder reached out to Turley via email on Aug. 26, demanding that Turley either cease supporting Ksenak or resign from office.
“I have seen your Facebook posts and heard of your participation in supporting Ksenak for judge,” Snyder wrote. “As a precinct committeeman, you are part of the leadership team of (the) Morgan County Republican Party, which prohibits you from supporting a candidate of another party.
“I am attaching a resignation form,” Snyder continued. “Your choice is to discontinue your support or to resign as a precinct committeeman. That includes walking in parades, posting support on social media, putting signs up in your yard or any other kind of public support.”
Turley responded to Snyder later that day.
“I take my role as a Republican and my responsibility to the people of Morgan County seriously,” Turley said. “My support for Ksenak is not about abandoning Republican principles or working against the Republican Party. It is about something I believe should transcend party politics: ensuring that the person serving as judge is the person I believe is best suited for that incredibly important position.”
Turley went on to say she did not think Smith was the best option for judge, and added that she would neither resign from her position nor discontinue her support for Ksenak.
On Aug. 30, Snyder submitted a complaint about Turley to the Indiana Republican State Committee, requesting that Turley be removed from office and be considered a Republican not in good standing for the next two primary cycles.
A hearing on the matter was held last Thursday evening, where Turley was represented by her attorney. Between then and the committee’s opinion on Monday, Turley also endorsed Libertarian candidate Matthew Pranger’s campaign for Madison Township advisory board.
“Turley admitted her support for the Libertarian once in an email to Snyder and again in her written submission to the (committee),” reads the Fourth District’s Monday opinion. “She argues that this is a limited instance, she supports other Republican nominees, and that she has not rejected the principles of the Republican Party.
“The evidence showed,” the opinion continues, “that Turley has a sign for the Libertarian outside her place of business and that she posts public statements of her support for the Libertarian. Indeed, she continues to offer public support for that candidate despite a private message from Snyder citing our rules and asking her to stop.”
With that in mind, the committee ruled in Snyder’s favor, and Turley’s punishment concurred with Snyder’s request. Snyder, a member of the committee, recused herself from the ruling.
“I’m choosing people over party,” Turley told The Correspondent on Tuesday, in the aftermath of her removal from office. “My party has changed, but my politics have not, and I won’t stand with people who don’t believe in people over party.”
Turley added that she does not regret supporting Ksenak, and that had she known beforehand what would happen to her if she supported him, she said she would support him anyway.
Snyder also weighed in on Turley’s fate, defending her decision to request Turley’s removal from office.
“You can’t be a leader of an organization and work against it,” Snyder said. “We have rules. You can’t work against your own party.”
Snyder said she didn’t have a problem with Turley supporting Ksenak if that was her personal opinion, but does have a problem with Turley being a “leader” in the party and supporting the opposition.
“In a leadership position, you don’t have a personal opinion,” Snyder added. “You go along with the party.”
Snyder has a pattern of strict application when it comes to good standing with the party. Back in February, she requested that four candidates be struck from Republican primary ballots, arguing before the county election board that the candidates did not have good standing with the party.
