INDIANA GROUND REPORT
Dear HillBuzz,
The most prominent race here in Southern Indiana is between Brad Ellsworth (D) and Dan Coats (R) for the Senate. There’s palpable anger here over Ellsworth, who claims to be a Blue Dog Dem but voted for the Stimulus, ObamaCare (BEFORE Obama appeased Sestak with the abortion executive order), and anything else Pelosi told him to. People are especially angry that he refused to hold Town Halls over ObamaCare – and that when they called his office to tell him they were against it, his staff actually ARGUED with them and told them why they were wrong.
Ellsworth was anointed to pursue Bayh’s abandoned Senate seat. He knew from the get-go that he was in trouble – so much so, that his ads play up his law enforcement background (he served as Vanderburgh County sheriff for a few years) and NEVER mention that he is a sitting Congressman. That REALLY ticks people off. His ads assure us that we need a sheriff to clean up the mess in Washington. He even uses the sheriff’s signature colors of brown and gold in his ads and signs. It also doesn’t sit well that he’s running on fiscal discipline and balancing the budget after voting to sink future generations with debt.
People don’t like Coats. I haven’t found anyone who’s enthusiastic about him. He’s a former Senator who retired to the Carolinas and basically was recruited by the GOP powers-that-be to challenge Ellsworth. Their were five candidates in the Rep primary and his name recognition apparently pushed him over the top. But everyone but the kool-aid drinkers will hold their nose and vote for him as the lesser of two evils.
Bumper stickers: Bye Bye Brad is a fairly common one. (Some poor guy printed up a couple thousand Bye Bye Bayh stickers before Bayh announced he wasn’t seeking re-election.) Two years ago, you saw Obama bumper stickers everywhere. They’re a rare sight now.
Local Dem candidates are worried about being swept up in the anti-Obama tsunami. And with good reason. I’ve heard several people say, all who formerly have voted for Dems, that for the first time in their lives they’re voting a straight Republican ticket. When I point out the names of local Dems – who are good, qualified, candidates who will be affected by that – their answer is that’s just too bad. They say they HAVE to send a message to Washington by giving the Dems what they feel they deserve.
Signing out from Southern Indiana.
© 2010, Kevin DuJan. All rights reserved.
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I heard yesterday about the anti-Dem tsunami sweeping across the southern part of the state. It’s good news.
I, like many others, am not enthused about voting for Coats, but he was not recruited to run against Ellsworth. He was recruited to run against Bayh. It was thought that he was the only one who could raise enough money to run against Bayh’s multi-million dollar war chest. Party leaders tried to recruit Pence too, but Pence thought he could have more influence in the House.
Remember, Bayh announced his retirement only a day or two before the primary registration deadline. At the time Coats announced his candidacy, Bayh was the presumed dem nominee. Once he dropped out, the state dem party had until June to pick its candidate. Coats isn’t ideal, but a vote for anyone else in this race is a vote for the Obama/Reid Pelosi agenda.
I can confirm the anti-Dem wave. I’ve spent about made about 600 calls on behalf of Todd Young running against Baron (of “it’s my townhall and I say no videos” fame). I’ve been pleasantly surprise by the number of voters who say they will go through hell and high water to vote a straight Republican ticket.
Indiana (and Kentucky) polls close early (6pm ET). If the GOP runs the table with significant winning margins, Dem turnout in the Western states could and probably will crater.
Keep working to GOTV. I’m signed up for 6 more hours between now and poll close Tuesday!
Nov 3rd, I transform into a GOP probation officer. =] There will be weekly surprise audits. I want to know who the GOP is meeting with. I want to know who their staff is meeting with. Any sign of big government backs slide and probation is revoked. =]
Why or why do I alway omit key words…
Should state Baron Hill is who Todd Young is running against.
I got a call from Mr. Young himself yesterday — be still my heart — after which I promply went online to make a donation. Keep up the good work!
I heard he was doing that. That is so cool. thanks for that donation too!
Please, get Baron Hill out of office.
I am in the 5th district. Very very very red.
I actually like Dan Coats.
I have seen 2 Ellsworth signs… thats it.. 2. Not in anyones yard, mind you.. in empty lots.
what’s more exciting is how MANY well informed folks are out there monitoring all these races….I’m sure the white house staff in charge of monitoring this site is as surprised as I am by not only the numbers but the LEVEL of ENTHUSIASM people have of voting AGAINST a democrat…I too am not voting For a republican—but voting against the democrats to shoved all this debt and worries to us…
Hello Hillbuzz,
I just wanted to let you know that the Democrat Leadership has spent millions trying to protect the totally fake Blue Dog Dem Joe Donnelly against a challenge from Jackie Walorski here in Indiana 2nd District.
They have used most of the dirty tricks against her, personal attacks, inventing positions she has never even commented on and even used a Grayson styled editing snippet on Social Security to lie and manufacture a false narrative around.
Donnelly claimed to be a moderate Blue Dog but turned out to be anything but and now they are doing the same thing to Jackie as they did to Hillary, Palin, O’Donnell etc etc … smear smear smear.
See the LIES category on my blog for further details.
I’m still making phone calls for Marvin Scott’s campaign (running against andre carson). I’m encouraged by the enthusiastic YES responses I get! Some voters have done their homework and actually know what a wonderful candidate Scott is, and others ask “Is he an incumbent?” or, “is he the Republican?” Either way, it’s good.
The Øbots I know are not talking about the election at all. You’d never know there was one….