Musician Ralph Tourkow is fondly remembered as a talented musician who had a jovial sense of humor and a schedule of dinner dates.His family and friends agree that to meet Tourkow was to instantly meet a friend.With 85 percent of the vote, Allen County Republican Party Chairman Steve Shine held onto the position he has held for the past 20 years.
County precinct committeemen and women gathered at South Side High School Saturday to cast their secret ballots for their candidate: Shine or challenger, Jason Arp, president and founder of J. Arp & Co., specializing in proprietary research, trading and portfolio management. Of the 227 eligible voters, 169 turned out, marking voter turnout 74 percent, a high number for any election, Shine said.
In the next four years, Shine said, he hopes to continue the success his party has seen in the county for the last three years: In 2010, the only Democratic county official was unseated, leading to an all-Republican county government. In 2011, Republicans gained a 6-3 majority on Fort Wayne's City Council. And last year, Republican Martin Carbaugh unseated Win Moses Jr., who was thought to be an impossible-to-beat incumbent for the 81st House District seat.
In his acceptance speech, Shine thanked Arp.
"Thank you, sir, because you helped focus the spotlight on the great Republican party," he said. "Was I irritated? Yes. Was it good for the party? Yes."
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