Secretary of State Diego Morales, left, at the 2025 National Election Conference in June 2025. After taking heat for back-to-back international trips, other Republicans are lining up to challenge the incumbent in 2026. (Photo from the official SOS X account)
As Secretary of State Diego Morales takes heat for back-to-back international trips that blurred personal and professional lines, Republican hopefuls see an opportunity to challenge the embattled politician and establish themselves in contrast to the divisive officeholder.
Mere weeks after taking flak for an unannounced visit to India initially paid for by an undisclosed business, the IndyStar revealed that he was out of the country — again without sharing his travel plans and paid for by an outside organization.
Indiana Democrats are upset that I took some time away from the office.
I decided to give them some feedback on their press release and clear up some misconceptions.
Also, if this was a college paper, they would’ve failed. Which is what they’re doing for Hoosiers. pic.twitter.com/nRKr9c2fXw
— Diego Morales (@cdiegomorales) May 31, 2025
Since the story broke, he has revealed that organizers with the Conservative Political Action Conference picked up the tab for his Hungary visit while pointedly posting about his “personal time” online. But he spoke on both international trips as Indiana’s Secretary of State, not in his personal capacity.
“This certainly, to me, looks political and partisan. And so if someone else is footing the bill for him to make these international trips, it’s certainly worthwhile for your typical voter but also other branches of government … to know where that money is coming from,” said Greg Shufeldt, an associate professor of political science at the University of Indianapolis.
The website for the Office of the Secretary of State doesn’t include any mention of international relations, but is centered on election oversight, registering businesses and trademarks, and licensing vehicle dealerships.
Returning the office’s focus to those duties is part of the campaign platform for both Republican challengers who announced in recent weeks.
Knox County Clerk Dave Shelton ran against Morales in the 2022 convention but fell short in the final tally. He announced his bid with Indy Politics in April, days before Morales posted about his intention to run for reelection.
Shelton described the position itself as the destination, rather than a stepping stone for another office, adding that his early announcement is designed to give him time to meet with delegates.
“I want to do the job without fanfare. I don’t need my picture taken; I don’t need to make headlines,” said Shelton. “I just want the personal satisfaction of doing the job to the best of my abilities. I will not be a taxpayer-funded tourist on a statewide search for photo ops. That is not me.”
Party candidates for the secretary of state are chosen by delegates at a convention, rather than through a primary process. The convention is scheduled for next summer, meaning that candidates can’t yet officially submit their names for consideration.
Jamie Reitenour outperformed a former attorney general in the Republican primary election for governor last year and now has her sights set on the office.
“To be super honest, I’m just offended. I’m offended for Hoosiers that he is not taking the secretary of state job, in my opinion, very seriously,” Reitenour told the Indiana Capital Chronicle. “It’s an administrative job; it’s not meant to be a job where you’re constantly posting about all your travel.”
Questions about international trips sent to Morales’ campaign didn’t get a response before publication, but the politician has shot back at critics online and in a recent WOWO interview.
“… I will always take every opportunity to promote Indiana. I am always Indiana Secretary of State, even when I’m out of the office on personal time,” said Morales in a statement shared with Indy Politics. “I will continue to promote Indiana across the nation and internationally.”
Traveling for other, political purposes?
Unlike other state employees, the State Personnel Department has little oversight over elected officials. Elected officials don’t punch a time clock or have limits on personal or vacation time. And there are few restrictions or transparency about travel.
The latter could change following a new state law mandating that such officeholders report their travel expenses from trips “taken in an official capacity” and whether state funding was used. It’s unclear if this would capture Morales’ international trips, where he spoke as Indiana Secretary of State but wasn’t explicitly on state business.
“Broadly, the travel that Diego Morales is doing is frequently not tied to the day-to-day functions of his secretary of state duties,” Shufeldt said. “Moreover, if you assume that one of his chief responsibilities is the lead election official in the state, Hungary is not the place to go.”
Indiana SOS publicly posts about India trip after 10 days away
Hungary is no longer considered a democracy to European Union officials, but the CPAC conference could be a jumping off point for other offices for Morales. His wife is also Honorary Consul of Hungary to Indiana.
“He is an ambitious politician and if his end goal was to be secretary of state, he probably wouldn’t be engaging in these sorts of things,” said Shufeldt. “But he’s trying to cement himself in conservative circles outside of the state — whether that is for a future gubernatorial run or congressional run — these things are very clearly tactical, strategic choices to put himself in conservative or illiberal spaces.”
Former statewide elected officials, speaking generally about office travel, told the Indiana Capital Chronicle they tried not to overlap personal vacations with official duties.
“Vacation time was limited for me. And when I had vacation time, I valued that and prioritized that with my family,” said Tim Berry, who has held multiple statewide offices. “I really tried to ensure that (it) was reserved just for family time and tried to keep that somewhat separate as much as possible.”
Berry, a former Indiana Republican Party chair, served as the state’s auditor from 2007 until 2013 after being state treasurer for eight years.
Critics have questioned if paying for Morales’ international trips would qualify as a campaign contribution. He recently revealed that he paid back the business that initially covered the excursion to India to protect them from “the crazy left,” as reported by State Affairs Indiana.
Morales is no stranger to criticism. The politician started his term by hiring his brother-in-law for a six-figure position — a loophole to the state’s nepotism law — and bought a $90,000 vehicle with taxpayer money. Additionally, he showered his team with spot bonuses and has been accused of using his office for self-promotion with his name in large font on yard signs, an election security guide and printed maps — the latter of which was criticized by a sitting senator.
Most recently, the office spent $100,000 for 5-second public service messages on digital billboards around the state, flashing messages about voting alongside directives to learn more about the office’s business and automotive dealership oversight.
The challengers
Self-described election nerd Shelton spends much of his time tinkering with and thinking about the minutiae of administration, having won recognition from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission for designing stabilizer brackets for e-pollbooks and improving accessibility for disabled voters.
But, when he just started out, he said he conferred with other clerks rather than getting assistance from the secretary of state’s office. Even today, “they don’t have that experience” in the office, he said.
“When you become a county clerk, you’re left, basically, to your own devices on how to learn to do the job,” Shelton said. “One of the things that I want to do is set up an in-person, intensive election boot camp for new clerks. Because our elections are not something you can learn by watching a PowerPoint presentation.”
Since his showing at the 2022 convention, Shelton said some delegates have expressed “extreme buyer’s remorse” to him.
“I’m telling people that I want to be a very boring secretary of state,” Shelton summarized.
For her part, Reitenour calls for a return to paper ballots, fortifying Indiana’s election oversight and more state leadership aligned with President Donald Trump.
“There’s been more than enough from the President’s administration … in regards to foreign adversaries and the fact that our elections are targeted. So it needs to be taken really seriously,” Reitenour said. “… Obviously, I’m a fan of President Trump. I’m an even greater fan of his leadership. I just think it’s unparalleled the way he’s approached politics … I intend to operate with that same diligence.”
She also vowed to hold weekly press conferences and emphasized the need for an officeholder who balances consumer and business interests, rather than someone who favors one party over the other.
“I think (the office) will be unrecognizable. It’ll be like, ‘That was Diego traveling the world and this is Jamie right now.’ We’ll be focused on the state of Indiana,” Reitenour concluded.
Indianapolis Rep. Andrew Ireland has also been floated as a possible contender, though he declined to comment for this story.
Candidates willing to challenge an incumbent “is a promising sign for small-d democracy,” said Shufeldt, though the outcome is less certain.
Morales himself defeated incumbent Secretary of State Holli Sullivan in 2022, but he was appointed by former Gov. Eric Holcomb and lost due to pandemic-era pushback to Holcomb.
Delegates also rejected the establishment candidate, Rep. Julie McGuire, in favor of Micah Beckwith in the nomination for lieutenant governor last summer, signaling continued support for unconventional candidates.
“It doesn’t necessarily bode well for that more pragmatic … governing wing of the Republican party,” said Shufeldt. “Right now, the actions of Morales and Beckwith appear to be the types of actions I would think come from a politician that thinks they’re untouchable.”
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.
Indiana Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Indiana Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Niki Kelly for questions: info@indianacapitalchronicle.com.
