Matt Wechtel is the Madison County Chair of the County Commissioners. He is a Republican, has been a county commissioner for a little over 10 years, and he’s up for reelection this year. (Judy Major is his competition). In the almost 20 years he has been at the fore of politics in the county, the pendulum has swung, firmly, from Democrat to Republican. He doesn’t take any credit for this but says that Democrats who have switched parties tell him: “I’m not leaving my party. My party has left me.’”
He describes old school democrats in the county as religious and fiscally conservative. They are not into “let's just say, the radical social issues of the day.” By which he means, diversity, equality and inclusion. “I think anybody who’s got a religious basis realizes that the Creator only made men and women.”
Matt sees two key drivers for voters in this county. The first is the economy. “If you don't have money to pay for the things you need,” he says, “it's a problem no matter what else is going on,” and the second is personal freedom which he describes as “let me be me, and you’re free to be you. You’re free to do your own thing, but don’t impose your will on me.”
This does not, however, apply to a woman’s right to autonomy over her own body.
“I get what you are saying,” he says when I ask him this question. “That is a different issue.”
And we are off …
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