Two local Libertarians have announced that they will seek their party’s nomination to run for office in 2012. Rex Bell, of Hagerstown, hopes to receive the nod for U.S. House of Representatives District 6 seat, currently held by Mike Pence. Jeremiah Morrell, of New Castle, will be going after the recently re-configured District 54 seat of the Indiana House, currently held by Thomas Saunders. Bell has previously been the Libertarian candidate for the District 54 seat. This is Morrell’s first run for office.
The Libertarian Party selects it’s state and federal candidates at it’s spring convention.
“Libertarians have made some significant gains in east central Indiana and across the state in the last few years”, said Bell. “In the District 54 race in 2010, the Libertarians managed to win a few precincts, and even finish ahead of the Democrat overall in Wayne County. The new District 54 still contains some of our strongest areas in Wayne County, and also encompasses the newly organized LP in Rush County, which made an excellent showing in the 2011 elections. Henry County also had a strong Libertarian presence in the 2010 election. I believe all of that, combined with the voters growing dissatisfaction with “politics as usual”, gives Jeremiah an excellent shot at being the first Libertarian in Indiana to be elected at the state level.”
Bell also emphasized the importance of having a Libertarian presence in Washington. “We are seeing more and more legislation from the states exercising their 10th Amendment protections from an over-reaching federal government. It’s necessary to have some allies in Congress who will respect and protect not only the 10th Amendment, but all of the Constitution, especially in the wake of the continued growth of both the federal debt and bureaucracy. I hope the people of the 6th District will trust me to be one of those allies.”
Jeremiah Morrell works as a project coordinator for Gerdau, in Muncie. Morrell is a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University with a degree in business. He serves on the Henry County 4-H Association and as a 4-H project leader, and is active with the Libertarian Party.
Morrell on the run for office “I am excited to make the case for freedom. I have watched our government fail to protect our most basic freedoms, and in many cases overstep their authority. I am looking forward to making the case to the people of Henry, Rush, and Wayne counties, demonstrating why there is a true need for something different.”
