Culver wins in upset

By ADAM NUSSBAUM
adam.nussbaum@goshennews.com

May 07, 2008 10:31 am

— Goshen Republican Wes Culver Tuesday upset incumbent John Ulmer by a wide margin to earn the party’s nomination for the House of Representatives District 49 seat.
Three Republicans competed for the nomination.
Ulmer, who has served as a state representative for five terms, received 24.52 percent of the votes (1,876 votes), while Wes Culver dominated with 70.69 percent (5,409 votes). James Teall, who came in third, received 4.8 percent (367 votes).
“I’m disappointed,” said Ulmer, “but what happens happens. I just hate the negative campaigning. To me, that’s what I don’t like. Whatever it is, it is, and life goes on.”
Ulmer said he believed people voted for Culver partly because of his many endorsements.
“I think it was the far right,” he said. “And (the Christian radio station) WFRN, and the Right to Life. That was it. And there were misrepresentations made about me, but I guess that’s politics.”
Ulmer is also pro-life.
Culver, who was celebrating Tuesday at the Refinery Cafe in Goshen with successful GOP Senate nominee Carlin Yoder, did not refute Ulmer’s accusations regarding negative campaigning.
“One thing that I discovered is that there are a lot of letters sent out that I don’t get to see,” Culver said, “and there are some that were sent out that are embarrassing to me, and I think along the way I made some mistakes, too.”
“Surprised and humbled” was how Culver described his feelings after learning of his success in the primary. Going into the election, he said he felt “unsure and nervous.”
The primaries “were new to me, so every day and every week was a learning curve,” he said. “It was fun because it was a grassroots movement. We just had hundreds of volunteers and it was fun to meet new people, and people got involved. People from around the state that had seen other races said they had never seen so many volunteers before. We just had bunches and bunches.
“It’s not my win, it’s our win. It’s a large, large group of people that went door to door, made phone calls, a big campaign committee. It’s just amazing.
“We owe a debt of gratitude to John (Ulmer),” said Culver, “because he’s a gentleman, and he gave 10 years of service. He stepped up to the plate when (state Rep.) Phil Warner died, and filled the role and served the community for 10 years. He could have stayed in his law firm and made a lot more money than what he made at the state, so even if we differ in opinion, if anybody differs in opinion, anybody who (serves) in elected office, we owe him thanks.”

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