Porter County District 4 Councilman Andy Vasquez was behind Porter County Plan Commission member Craig Kenworthy in Tuesday night’s primary, per preliminary election results.
Kenworthy led Vasquez, the council president, 62% to 37% to represent the Republican Party in the bid for Vasquez’s District 4 county council seat come November.
Vasquez, who is at the end of his first term on the council after being selected by caucus to replace Mike Jessen, previously said that he was primaried by the Porter County Republicans for not towing the party line.
He has said he was proud of what the county has accomplished of late, including two new patrol officers, two new jail officers and money for overhauling the deadly 100 S in this year’s budget.
Vasquez said in a phone interview that Kenworthy had 10 campaign signs for every one of his, and he just couldn’t afford to compete.
“Congratulations to all the winners in last night’s election, and I wish well the council in 2027 and further,” to do what is best for the citizens, he said.
Kenworthy retired as a pipefitter from Local 597 in 2020 and is now director of facility operations for the East Porter County School Corporation.
“I am truly humbled by the support of the people of the Fourth District in Porter County in helping me secure the Republican nomination for County Council,” Kenworthy said via text. “If elected to the council, I’ll be honored to serve not only them, but all the residents of the county. I look forward to working together to make Porter County an even better place for everyone.”
He’s been on the Plan Commission since January 2025 and served 12 years on the Porter County Park Board from 2010 to 2022. He had a failed run for a county council at-large seat in 2020.
The sixth-generation Morgan Township resident has said he would not support a 1% food and beverage tax to bring the Bears to Hammond.
“I don’t feel it will be of any economic benefit,” he said. “We have budgetary holes to fill in this county that should take precedence over us helping a billionaire fund a Bears stadium that’s not in our county. I do support the stadium. I just don’t support Porter County paying for it.”
He’s also concerned about understaffing at the sheriff’s office. He’s a self-described fiscal conservative who acknowledges SB 1 will cause local governments to either cut spending or raise taxes.
He’ll face off against Democrat Julia Kocal in November.
Shelley Jones is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
