The City of Gary will remain in control of the Lake County Council’s 2nd District seat as At-Large Gary Common Councilman Ronald Brewer Jr. was chosen to fill the vacancy in a Saturday morning caucus.
Brewer, who’s served on the Gary Council for 12 years, won in the second round of voting at the Calumet Township Multipurpose room. He’ll finish the term of Clorius Lay, who died Feb. 12.
Of the 36 2nd District precinct committee people who signed in to vote, only one person wasn’t eligible, Lake County Democratic Party Chairman Jim Wieser announced. As such, the caucus winner would have to clinch 18 votes to secure the seat.
Wieser also reminded the voters that they couldn’t leave before all the votes were taken as they did during the January caucus to replace Gary Mayor Eddie Melton’s former State Senate seat. During that caucus, three voters left and refused to return, the Post-Tribune previously reported, and former Hobart Councilman Dave Vinzant edged Gary Councilman Mark Spencer.
On Saturday, the first round of voting gave Brewer 14 votes, followed by former Highland Town Councilwoman Toya Smith with 10, Gary Precinct Committeewoman Carol Ann Seaton with eight, and Gary businessmen Norman Hairston and Carl Weatherspoon Jr. with two and one vote, respectively. Brewer then got to 18 during the second vote, while Smith retained her 10 votes and Seaton received seven.
Brewer, who was sworn in immediately after the vote by Gary City Court Judge Deidre Monroe, said he appreciated all the support the precinct gave him. He vowed to work with them as well as the people in the entire 2nd District, not just Gary residents.
“When I was first elected to the council, I wasn’t chosen to head up any committees, so I sat back and studied, and I learned,” he said during his stump speech. “The next year, I was voted vice president, and I continued to work with both sides.”
Seaton, who’s been a precinct committeewoman for 20 years, said what she’s learned from being in the position is that there are show horses and horses who do the work, and she’s “the one who’s always working.” She told the voters she would make sure to be their voice if elected.
“I can’t be told what to do, but I can listen and fight for the cause,” she said.
As a first-time candidate, Hairston, who said he has two engineering degrees from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said entering the caucus was “an interesting experience.” He hasn’t ruled out running for office again.
“This region has too many assets to languish like it is,” he said.
The caucus to replace Brewer on the Gary Common Council will be held within 30 days, Wieser said.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
