Ed Carroll named new Delaware County GOP chairman in party caucus Monday night

MUNCIE, Ind. — Delaware County Republicans chose County Treasurer Ed Carroll to serve as the local party's chairman at a caucus of party precinct officials Monday night.

Carroll replaces Victor Whitehead as county chairman. Whitehead resigned July 15 after ongoing conflicts with some fellow Republicans during his tenure.

Conflicts in party:Whitehead resigns as GOP county chairman after friction within local party

The current county treasurer, who is running unopposed for county auditor this fall, said he would work to bring the party together and work at "getting Republicans elected."

Carroll said some in the party had made comments about not being heard by local leadership and he intends to change that. "It may have just been personalities," Carroll said of divisions within the local party.

Carroll was chosen over Daleville resident Ben Fisher in a one-sided contest on the first round of balloting, according to GOP officials who were present. The caucus is private and participants wouldn't comment for attribution on the details of the proceedings.

The announcement of Carroll's victory was made Monday evening by Jessica Piper, vice chairman of the county organization and a member of the Delaware County Council.

Slow to change:Local party chairmen keeping vote centers out of Delaware County, clerk says

The 61-year-old Carroll was raised in Delaware County and is in his second term running the county treasurer's office. His lack of opposition in November for county auditor means he will succeed Democrat Steven Craycraft in that office come January.

In recent years, Republicans have dominated Delaware County elected offices. The party controls the county commissioners and county council as well as the majority of executive offices at the county level. They have also taken control of Muncie government with a GOP mayor and a numerical majority on the Muncie City Council.

Carroll said he plans to do what it takes to continue the success and get more Republicans elected in the future.

STAY INFORMED AND SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM: Subscribe today using the link at the top of this page.