Jefferson Co. Republican Party Chairman Announces Run For Madison Mayor

Two republicans and one democrat have announced

Bob Courtney, chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party, has declared he will be a candidate for Madison mayor in next year’s election. 

Courtney will resign his party chairmanship effective Dec. 31. Courtney joins Andrew Forrester on the Republican ticket for mayor. Julie Berry, is the lone Democrat to announce.

Candidate filing begins in January. The primary election will be May 7 and the general election will be Nov. 8. 

He made his announcement via a press release:

After serving four years as Chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party, I will resign that position
effective December 31, 2018 and declare my candidacy for Madison’s Mayor in the 2019 election. I am
very grateful for the many elected officials, volunteers and supporters who have worked tirelessly and
contributed their resources to our community. We have been immensely successful in electing
tomorrow’s leaders and are in the best position now to adopt new and innovative policies that will enable
our community to capitalize on its strengths and turn its challenges into opportunities.

I have lived in Madison and Jefferson County my entire life. Growing up in downtown Madison on North
Walnut Street as the son of a truckdriver and stay at home mother, I learned the value of hard work. This
work ethic along with the mentorship of several people along the way has inspired me to believe that
anything is possible if we believe in ourselves, set goals, do the work necessary to attain them, and aspire
to inspire others through collaboration and thoughtful strategies. I have earned everything I have
attained in life by working summer jobs, paying my own way through college, and working hard at a
successful career in investment banking. I have traveled across the country in my professional career
forging partnerships with private developers, investors, and local governments to bring capital
investment to their communities, construct affordable housing, and promote economic development
using historic, low income, and new markets tax credits. I could have lived anywhere but have chosen
Madison to live in and raise my family. Over the past decade, my wife Tammy and I have put our life
savings to work here in Madison investing in our neighborhoods, hiring and buying local, and preserving
Madison’s rich heritage. We have committed our personal time to volunteering and financially supporting
numerous local charities, especially those focused on our youth, our disadvantaged, and our thriving
cultural arts community. We established the Courtney Family Memorial Scholarship Fund to annually
support local youth attending college or vocational schools. Giving back to my hometown is a priority to
my family and I am ready to implement “Bold Initiatives for a Better Madison”.

As a candidate for Madison’s Mayor, I will work hard to earn your vote and the privilege to lead Madison
into the future. My campaign will focus on three primary strategies that will include: Our Community
Safety, Our Economic Opportunity, and Our Quality of Life. We will build upon these main themes and
strategically focus our efforts on what will be impactful to Madison and its residents. We will leverage our
intellectual and financial resources to expand on our rich history but make certain our future is as bright
as our past has been. Whether you live in the historic district or on the hilltop, your city government will
work for you. In addition, workforce development and economic opportunity go hand in hand and will be
my priority as will be collaborating more closely with Jefferson County and State of Indiana leadership.

My qualifications include the following: 1981 graduate of MCHS; B.S degree in Finance from Ball State
University 1985; Stonier Graduate School of Banking, University of Delaware, 1990; Advanced Accounting
as a non-degree student Indiana University Southeast 1992; recipient of Series 7 and Series 63 Securities
Licenses, and Certified Public Accountant 1994. I recently retired after 25 years in banking where I was
Senior Vice President for national production for several years, having originated over $5 billion in
investment capital for affordable housing and historic preservation. I am President of the City of
Madison’s Board of Zoning Appeals, member of the Lide White Memorial Boys & Girls Club Board of
Directors, member of the Madison Area Chamber of Commerce and Friends of Main Street Program. I will
work hard to earn your trust and your vote to become Madison’s Mayor-elect in 2019. Over the coming
weeks my team, including Cara Fox as my treasurer, looks forward to meeting with many community
leaders and residents to learn how we can implement “Bold Initiatives for a Better Madison”. Please feel
free to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.