Dennis Layman files for County Commissioner District 2 as independent, will face Shane Smith in November

Blackford County resident Dennis Layman has filed to run as an independent for Blackford County Commissioner District 2, setting up a two-way general election race against Republican nominee Shane Smith.

Layman confirmed his candidacy to the Ledger telling us his filing is already complete. This is his second bid for county office. In 2024, Layman ran as an independent for one of three at-large seats on the Blackford County Council, finishing fourth in a four-way race with 1,413 votes behind Republicans Jack Beckley, Casey Dick, and Ryan Goodspeed.

His entry materially changes the District 2 commissioner race. Shane Smith won the May 5 Republican primary in a three-way contest, defeating incumbent Laura Coons and Eddie Cansler for the GOP nomination. No Democrat filed for the seat in the primary, leaving that slot on the November ballot open for another two weeks. Until Layman's filing, Smith had no announced general election opponent.

Layman declined to detail his policy positions for this article and said he plans to share more on specific issues later in the campaign. He did describe his approach to campaigning: he plans to reach voters door-to-door. He confirmed he drove a tractor with his campaign sign in the Blackford County Fair parade earlier this month and spoke with residents at the 4-H building afterward.

Layman is a longtime county resident who has regularly attended county government meetings, including commissioner, council, and drainage board sessions, often speaking during public comment periods.

In the coming months, the Ledger plans to interview every candidate on the November ballot for county office and publish fuller candidate profiles ahead of the election. Layman has indicated he will sit for a longer conversation as the race develops, and Smith will also be invited to participate.

The Blackford Ledger Election Hub is always available where you can see candidate profiles, including Dennis Layman and Shane Smith.