The popular, weeklong Howard County Fair featured prize winning princesses, poultry, and politics. In effect the event amounts to the unofficial kickoff of the 2022 election season. Just ask Raleigh Brown, President of the State Board of College Democrats of Indiana.
She is a brainy 21-year-old Butler University junior studying political science who is the “straw who stirs the drink” as the strategist for a few Kokomo Democratic political hopefuls.
“I could see myself as a candidate in the future, but I also really like helping people who do not know as much about politics be able to run campaigns. I don’t think I was ever questioning whether I was going to be a Republican,” she laughed. “The people that I know and care about have lived in this state and have not benefited from the politicians we have had in office who are Republicans for the last how many years.
“With the Roe decision, it’s like we have to organize now. A lot of people who normally would vote Republican are talking about voting Democrat. People who have never had to be concerned about their right to privacy and the health care they can get are concerned now.”
Throughout the six-day fair festivities Brown passed out literature and engaged with hundreds of prospective voters and families who passed by the Democrat Party booth at the far end of the massive exposition hall that housed much of the action.
The Moms for Liberty were set up across the aisle from the Howard County GOP booth at center stage of the sprawling facility. That is where Diane Howard, Kokomo City Clerk and GOP Vice Precinct Chair greeted well-wishers. She debunked the fair’s perceived political potency.
“I’ve not heard a lot of chatter from anybody, not good or bad,” said Howard, who retired after 22 years with the Howard County Sheriff’s Department. “I’ve had a lot of people come up and say, ‘I’m a Republican’ and fist bump, but other than that not much else.
“The political competitiveness is not as intense or divisive as we are often led to believe. I did not feel it when I ran two years ago, and it was a Republican sweep. I felt the thrill and the excitement of it, but I never felt like I was competing or trying to put anybody down. My opponent was just my opponent. It wasn’t personal.”
Jo Dooley is a politically progressive nurse and “child of the 60s and 70s” who still proudly identifies herself as, “I am a hippie.” She was at the fair, talking politics and administering coronavirus booster vaccination shots.
“I’m heartbroken,” she lamented. “Everything I burned my bra for is gone. People do not understand if you do not have rights over your body, you don’t have rights over anything. And they are not going to stop with us. It sucks. The dumbing of America has been the most successful government or corporate program ever. Who teaches critical thinking? What books are they banning?”
Pageantry took priority over books and politics during the fair for at least two high school students.
“The Howard County 4H Fair is a place where people can express who they are and what they represent,” said 15-year-old Aramea Fivecoate, a Kokomo High School track star and runner-up to 18-year-old Gracie McClain who was crowned Miss Howard County 2022. “For us, it is a place for us to meet new people and be a role model to younger girls.”
Brown is arguably a female role model also.
“We are having people who haven’t been involved, even my age to older people, who are working on campaigns, deciding to run for office,” said Brown. “Now we are getting people who didn’t pay attention as much. I talked to some people who said, ‘It’s the midterms, and I’m voting’ which would not have happened before.”
And, as for the Howard County Fair being the unofficial kickoff to the political season, Brown said, “For other people it is probably family fun; for me it is political. You can do both. You do the rides, and you also need to know where your tax dollars are going, who is qualified to be spending them. And if they have been in office for the past two years and haven’t done anything, then you probably do not want to vote for them again.”
ny 21-year-old Butler University junior studying political science who is the “straw who stirs the drink” as the strategist for a few Kokomo Democratic political hopefuls.
“I could see myself as a candidate in the future, but I also really like helping people who do not know as much about politics be able to run campaigns. I don’t think I was ever questioning whether I was going to be a Republican,” she laughed. “The people that I know and care about have lived in this state and have not benefited from the politicians we have had in office who are Republicans for the last how many years.
“With the Roe decision, it’s like we have to organize now. A lot of people who normally would vote Republican are talking about voting Democrat. People who have never had to be concerned about their right to privacy and the health care they can get are concerned now.”
Throughout the six-day fair festivities Brown passed out literature and engaged with hundreds of prospective voters and families who passed by the Democrat Party booth at the far end of the massive exposition hall that housed much of the action.
The Moms for Liberty were set up across the aisle from the Howard County GOP booth at center stage of the sprawling facility. That is where Diane Howard, Kokomo City Clerk and GOP Vice Precinct Chair greeted well-wishers. She debunked the fair’s perceived political potency.
“I’ve not heard a lot of chatter from anybody, not good or bad,” said Howard, who retired after 22 years with the Howard County Sheriff’s Department. “I’ve had a lot of people come up and say, ‘I’m a Republican’ and fist bump, but other than that not much else.
“The political competitiveness is not as intense or divisive as we are often led to believe. I did not feel it when I ran two years ago, and it was a Republican sweep. I felt the thrill and the excitement of it, but I never felt like I was competing or trying to put anybody down. My opponent was just my opponent. It wasn’t personal.”
Jo Dooley is a politically progressive nurse and “child of the 60s and 70s” who still proudly identifies herself as, “I am a hippie.” She was at the fair, talking politics and administering coronavirus booster vaccination shots.
“I’m heartbroken,” she lamented. “Everything I burned my bra for is gone. People do not understand if you do not have rights over your body, you don’t have rights over anything. And they are not going to stop with us. It sucks. The dumbing of America has been the most successful government or corporate program ever. Who teaches critical thinking? What books are they banning?”
Pageantry took priority over books and politics during the fair for at least two high school students.
“The Howard County 4H Fair is a place where people can express who they are and what they represent,” said 15-year-old Aramea Fivecoate, a Kokomo High School track star and runner-up to 18-year-old Gracie McClain who was crowned Miss Howard County 2022. “For us, it is a place for us to meet new people and be a role model to younger girls.”
Brown is arguably a female role model also.
“We are having people who haven’t been involved, even my age to older people, who are working on campaigns, deciding to run for office,” said Brown. “Now we are getting people who didn’t pay attention as much. I talked to some people who said, ‘It’s the midterms, and I’m voting’ which would not have happened before.”
And, as for the Howard County Fair being the unofficial kickoff to the political season, Brown said, “For other people it is probably family fun; for me it is political. You can do both. You do the rides, and you also need to know where your tax dollars are going, who is qualified to be spending them. And if they have been in office for the past two years and haven’t done anything, then you probably do not want to vote for them again.”
Subscribe to The Kokomo Lantern
A lantern to illuminate the good and eliminate the shadows in our community.
