Indiana Republicans are turning against Secretary of State Diego Morales after revelations that his chief of staff was allegedly a non-citizen illegally registered to vote, triggering fresh accusations of corruption and calls for his immediate resignation.
Indiana State Treasurer Daniel Elliott became the latest major Republican official to publicly demand Morales step down, blasting the secretary of state over what he described as a growing pattern of scandals and mismanagement.
“From allegations of corruption and mismanagement to the news that his own chief of staff was a non-citizen illegally registered to vote, these failures have created a constant stream of controversy that has shattered confidence in the office,” Elliott said in a statement released Thursday.
“I am calling on Diego Morales to resign immediately so the party and state can move forward.”
The controversy is especially damaging because Morales oversees election-related responsibilities in Indiana, including voter registration systems and election administration.
The revelation that a top aide inside his office was allegedly not a U.S. citizen while also being illegally registered to vote has intensified criticism from both Republicans and Democrats ahead of a major Republican nominating battle next month.
Elliott now joins a growing list of influential Indiana Republicans distancing themselves from Morales.
Jim Banks and Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita have both publicly withdrawn support for Morales’ reelection campaign.
Rokita previously urged Morales to suspend his campaign altogether, while Banks recently backed challenger Max Engling after earlier supporting Morales.
The backlash comes just weeks before the Indiana Republican Party’s state convention in June, where delegates will choose the GOP nominee for secretary of state.
Morales is expected to face a competitive fight against several Republican challengers, including Engling, Knox County Clerk David Shelton and former gubernatorial candidate Jamie Reitenour.
The eventual Republican nominee will move on to face Democratic and Libertarian opponents in November.
Morales’ office has already faced scrutiny over multiple controversies during his tenure.
Previous reports raised questions about taxpayer-funded overseas travel, spending tied to a luxury state vehicle and broader allegations of financial mismanagement.
The latest revelation involving his chief of staff appears to have pushed tensions inside the Indiana GOP to a breaking point.
Critics argue the allegations are especially embarrassing given Republicans’ national focus on election integrity and illegal voting.
The case also arrives as conservatives across the country continue pushing for stricter voter ID laws, citizenship verification requirements and tighter election security measures.
Morales has so far refused to step aside.
In a post on X Wednesday, he signaled he intends to remain in the race despite mounting pressure from fellow Republicans.
“Delegates will decide who will be the Republican nominee for Indiana secretary of state,” Morales wrote.
“The decision belongs in the hands and only the hands of Republican convention delegates and I’m confident I’ll be renominated.”
Still, the growing rebellion from within his own party now threatens both Morales’ political future and Republican unity in Indiana heading into the 2026 election cycle, per Trending Politics.
For many Indiana Republicans, the scandal has become politically toxic because it cuts directly against one of the GOP’s core campaign issues: election integrity.
And with major Republican figures openly calling for his resignation, pressure on Morales appears to be intensifying by the day.
