Edward Coleman (LP-At Large) has chosen to run for re-election within the district he resides, district 24, rather than run a campaign throughout the entire county. Like most of Marion County's southside, the area is a reliable place for Republicans to get votes. This usually means Democrats don't even bother fielding candidates in council races, just as the Marion County GOP doesn't field candidates in Democrat leaning areas of Pike and Center townships..
District 24 is currently represented by Jack Sandlin, who was appointed to the City-County Council in 2010 to fill a vacancy.
But why is this good for the Democrats? They don't even have a candidate in the field, and likely won't run one.
True, but until now, whoever won the primary in that district would win the general election as well. That is no longer the case. The county GOP will have to spend time, effort, and money in what would normally be a safe district. This will detract from time, money, and effort that could be used to campaign in the handful of competitive districts, the At-Large races, and the mayoral race.
And to the detractors that say that there aren't nearly enough Libertarians to vote for Coleman in that district, I counter that if there's any group that could screw this up, it's the bunch that is currently in charge of the county GOP. If the powers-that-be don't think a candidate is worth supporting, that candidate, no matter how good or qualified, could fall. Carlos May and Michael Jezierski were both slated by the county GOP in their respective 2010 and 2007 primaries, but lost to unslated candidates. In 2007, most of the At-Large GOP candidates were told to fend for themselves, with only Kent Smith getting any significant backing from the party. Smith even appeared in a number of commercials Greg Ballard aired in 2007, though the YouTube account featuring those commercials has since been closed.
So Ed Treacy and Adam Kirsch, have you thanked Mr. Coleman yet? I've heard fruit makes a good basket. Or Easter candy is really cheap.
The Republicans do have a candidate in CC District 1, Pike Township, Susan Blair.
ReplyDeleteRonald Rodgers
Matt, The MCRCC will not spend a penny for any of their candidates.Its all going to Ballard. The four at large Rs will not win one seat.
ReplyDeleteThe CCC will go the way of the Mayors race,which means that we will have a new Mayor and a New CCC
In Marion county you have to hit the streets.The MCRCC is not organized well enough to get that done.Walker goees bythe Tom John theory,trash some ones reputation and lie or throw money at it. In this race neither one of those things will happen.The MCCC is about to change. I predict 16-13 at best for the Rs.
Ronald, that district has changed drastically in the last several years and I don't think anything besides a very moderate/independent R like Christine Scales can win it.
ReplyDeleteAnon, I'd tend to believe that. Barb Malone hasn't raised a dime and she's the only elected incumbent among the At-Large Rs. Rivera has raised money, but he's also been spending it, and I don't know how much good that has done. I haven't seen a single R sign, for example, outside of Scales.
ReplyDeleteI agree that in this county, hitting the streets is necessary. And it's also apparent to me that the group in charge of the county GOP are unwilling to play the ground game, for whatever reason. I wouldn't be surprised if the MCRCC spent a ton of money trashing primary challengers, leaving little for council candidates in the general. After all, that's what happened to Carlos May and Dennis Fishburn.
I'm with Anon 7:02. Expect a falling out between council Republicans and the county committee when those councilors find out all the money is going to Ballard. The argument will be that if Ballard wins, they win. Of course, that's not how it works.
ReplyDeleteDistrict 1 is probably too far gone. We couldn't even win that district in 2007, a good year for Republicans. I think though Matt was talking about the southern part of Pike.