Final Perspective: Drake Paid Herself How Much? Date: 02/28/25
Author: Logan Foster
If you’ve been keeping up with the GOP Chair race in St. Joseph County, you know it’s been anything but quiet. Recently, County Councilwoman Amy Drake announced her candidacy for GOP Chair to challenge incumbent Jackie Horvath. While Drake has centered her campaign on criticizing payments to consultant Sam Barke, an analysis of Drake's own financial records raises key questions as well.
Drake has openly questioned the GOP’s spending on Barke, suggesting that candidates using his firm had poor election outcomes. However, it has come to light that Drake herself paid Barke $24,789.28 during the 2022 election cycle. Furthermore, Drake’s campaign finance records show that she personally paid herself $10,069.12 from her campaign funds in 2022. The payments were memoed as “WORLD CLASS HOMEMAKER” and represented nearly 12% of her campaign's total spending.
But that’s not all. Records also indicate that the St. Joseph County Republican Party paid Drake $12,000 in consulting fees in September 2022. These disclosures present a conflicting picture, as Drake attempts to frame her campaign around concerns of financial mismanagement within the party.
Critics have labeled her actions as hypocritical, particularly given her vocal opposition to other GOP members' use of Barke’s firm. “How can Drake criticize payments to Barke while having spent more than $24,000 with him herself in one election cycle?” questioned one precinct voter in an email to Redress South Bend (responding to Drake’s recent campaign rhetoric.)
Final Perspective
As the final round of mail, USPS deliveries, and newsletters advocating for each candidate has been sent, I urge you to carefully consider this closing thought. Newton's First Law of Motion states, "An object in motion stays in motion." Reflect on whether, after the 2024 general election, you want the St. Joseph County Republican Party to maintain its forward momentum. If so, then on Saturday, March 1st, we must elect Jackie Horvath as Chair of the SJCGOP. Under her continued leadership, our party can continue its trajectory of winning elections and achieving success.