Indiana’s congressional delegation is, by and large, the bright scarlet of a bloodstain on the national map. Five of its seven House delegates are Republican, and one of its two Senators. But Indiana is capable of surprising us; in 2008, Barack Obama carried the state by 1%, and in the 2012 Senate race, the Democratic candidate, Joe Donnelly, upset Richard “God intended that to happen” Mourdock.
This year, Democrats may have a chance to capture the 2nd district House seat. Better yet, the Democratic candidate, Joe Bock, seems to be a genuine progressive, while the Republican incumbent, Jackie Walorski, is Tea Party and Koch-brothers backed. She squeaked into office by just 1% in 2012.
I think Bock has a chance, and I’m not the only one to think so. Read on to find out why, and what Kossacks can do.
A few weeks ago, I got a phone call from Joe Bock himself. I’d never heard of him. He was cold-calling faculty around the country who he thought might care about public policy and support Democratic candidates. My name came up on his list.We had a serious, thoughtful conversation about policy, and I was impressed with his answers and his questions.
I checked his background and was impressed there, too. He’s a teaching professor at Notre Dame in global health. His record also includes international work with non-profit relief organizations in disaster response, conflict resolution, and economic development. He worked on a farm and as a firefighter, before finishing college. He has political experience, too; he was in the Missouri legislature for six years.
He defeated 3 opponents in the primary, aided by a solid ground game; evidently students turned out as volunteers. He’s an organizer, and it shows.
He’s raised more money than any other Democratic challenger in Indiana, though Walorski, as the beneficiary of Koch-group donations, still has a big advantage.
Howey Politics rates this as “the only race… worth watching in Indiana.”
What can Kossacks do to help?
How about inviting Joe Bock to Netroots Nation? He’s just across the border!
How about volunteering, if you are in South Bend or nearby?
How about endorsing his candidacy through Democracy for America, to put him on their radar?
And there's always checking him out and donating, here.