Natalie Rascher announces bid for mayor, increasing Republican primary field to three

EVANSVILLE — Republican Natalie Rascher will run for Evansville mayor next year, setting up a battle with a political veteran in the race to be the party's nominee.

Rascher, 37, will join current Vanderburgh County Commissioner Cheryl Musgrave, who announced her candidacy back in July. Gabe Whitley, a conservative activist, has also announced he will run in the Republican primary.

Rascher made the announcement Friday.

The Evansville native and Central High School graduate said she loves the city and wants to see it continue to grow.

“Evansville deserves a mayor that will continue building upon the great foundation that has been laid. To do this, we will need buy-in from all facets of our city," Rascher stated in a news release. "This can only be accomplished with someone that leads with compassion, has empathy for others and is willing to work with all our community. I believe I am that person.”

Since Musgrave's announcement, and Mayor Lloyd Winnecke's decision not to run again, there has been behind-the-scenes discussion among Winnecke and others to find another Republican to enter the race.

Rascher's official announcement came Friday, but she left a trail of bread crumbs signaling a potential run throughout the month of November.

More:Musgrave, Winnecke haven't buried the hatchet in Evansville. Here's why.

She disbanded her Friends of Natalie Rascher committee Nov. 18, which was used during her unsuccessful run for Evansville City Council Ward 2. According to the paperwork, the committee had about $112 on hand at closing.

At the same time she filed paperwork to form an exploratory committee for a "possible new position."

The senior talent acquisition advisor at Clifton Larson Allen also told the Courier & Press this month that she had been approached by "a handful of influential leaders in the city" about running for mayor, validating the talks of behind-the-scenes action to name another candidate.

Rascher has never held public office, though she is not unfamiliar with the campaign trail. She ran for the Ward 2 in the city council in 2019 when she was working as director of talent and human resources at Kemper CPA Group LLP.

She has also worked as an adjunct instructor at the University of Southern Indiana, and had held previous positions at Vectren, Deaconess and in human resources at USI.

Rascher ultimately lost to incumbent Democrat Missy Mosby by 19 votes out of 2,615 total cast.

Then-Republican Chairman Wayne Parke initially filed a lawsuit in Vanderburgh County Circuit Court requesting a recount, but the suit was ultimately dropped.

During that race Rascher had public, and financial, support from Winnecke. The Courier & Press reported in October 2019 that money from Winnecke's political committee and Steve Schaefer's Evansville's Future committee made up 52% and 48% respectively of her April-to-October receipts.