IN-SEN: Brains or Braun?

[Atlas Force]

So easily defeating two people who spent the entire primary tearing each other down wasn’t really a sign of political strength after all, huh?

[libertpaulian]

I guess the INGOP was so scared sh**tless after the Mourdock fiasco that they decided to go from being too brash and flamboyant to being too uninspiring and boring.

[Calthrina950]

I guess the INGOP was so scared sh**tless after the Mourdock fiasco that they decided to go from being too brash and flamboyant to being too uninspiring and boring.

It surprises me (in a pleasant way) that Donnelly is leading by such a margin in this latest poll. He could very well end up winning with a percentage similar to that of 2012. If this poll is anywhere near the truth, then he is in a better position than either Heitkamp or Nelson at this point, and possibly McCaskill as well. Tester and Manchin are the two safest Romney-state Democrats still, though.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

Lmao

https://twitter.com/INDems/status/1037415430212726785

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

Why do the Libertarians often do so well in Indiana? I scoffed at the Lib candidate getting 8% in this poll. But I noticed they've gotten over 5% in each of the last three IN Senate races.  So it's not totally implausible.

[IceSpear]

Why do the Libertarians often do so well in Indiana? I scoffed at the Lib candidate getting 8% in this poll. But I noticed they've gotten over 5% in each of the last three IN Senate races.  So it's not totally implausible.

This is a good question. Indiana isn't exactly a state you'd expect to be libertarian friendly, but they consistently do oddly well in the Senate races there. It also seems confined to the Senate races for some reason, they usually get a much lower number in the gubernatorial races.

Maybe our resident Indiana libertarian can answer this?

[Dr. Arch]

Lmao

https://twitter.com/INDems/status/1037415430212726785

Savage

[libertpaulian]

Why do the Libertarians often do so well in Indiana? I scoffed at the Lib candidate getting 8% in this poll. But I noticed they've gotten over 5% in each of the last three IN Senate races.  So it's not totally implausible.

This is a good question. Indiana isn't exactly a state you'd expect to be libertarian friendly, but they consistently do oddly well in the Senate races there. It also seems confined to the Senate races for some reason, they usually get a much lower number in the gubernatorial races.

Maybe our resident Indiana libertarian can answer this?

The Indiana Libertarian Party has a very strong presence on social media, and they tend to do very well with outreach given their limited funds as a third party.  The candidates they run don't tend to be the pot-smoking anarchist types who make videos in their underwear talking about how seatbelt laws are equivalent to Hitler or Jim Crow.  I mean, you have SOME like that, but IN libertarians for the most part tend to articulate the Party's message very well.  The INLP candidate for Secretary of State, for example, is a casual friend of mine.  He's a retired attorney from a mid-sized Downtown Indianapolis law firm.  Very far removed from the libertarian stereotype.

[Progressive Pessimist]

So easily defeating two people who spent the entire primary tearing each other down wasn’t really a sign of political strength after all, huh?

[Lognog]

So easily defeating two people who spent the entire primary tearing each other down wasn’t really a sign of political strength after all, huh?

[Old Man Willow]

I was shocked seeing the Donnelly ad touting him helping Trump build the wall. I mean, I understand IN is a conservative state and he'll need a lot of Trump supporters, so touting his support for tougher border security and whatnot makes sense. But it's likely to be a close race and he'll need the support of IN's liberals and minorities, however small that community is. Seems risky to be proudly associating himself with what has become a symbol of Trump's racism to so many on the left.

[TheRocketRaccoon]

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/gop-frets-about-prospects-for-picking-up-indiana-senate-seat

HIGH QUALITY CANDIDATE MIKE BRAUN

[Blair]

I thought that Donnelly would be the most threatened D incumbent back in the summer- but as the article points out both the Kock Network, and the Chamber of Commerce haven't invested in this race (both groups put millions in IN-SEN '16)

Braun's two best assets were his outside experience, and his ability to self-fund. Yet he hasn't spend any money, so he can't really boost about the first.

 

[windjammer]

I mean, Donnelly is a good candidate. He was tied in the polls before the mourdock gaffe after all. He was lucky when he made this rape comment but Donnelly is definitely a good candidate, he fits well this state. A state where Trump isn't particularly popular.

[junior chįmp]

Braun BTFO

https://mobile.twitter.com/ActorAaronBooth/status/1042489774177693698

[Canis]

Richard Lugar is refusing to endorse in this race calls both candidates able and having good campaigns
https://fox59.com/2018/09/25/former-sen-richard-lugar-wont-endorse-braun-or-donnelly-in-u-s-senate-race/

[Xing]

Richard Lugar is refusing to endorse in this race calls both candidates able and having good campaigns
https://fox59.com/2018/09/25/former-sen-richard-lugar-wont-endorse-braun-or-donnelly-in-u-s-senate-race/

Dang, didn't he endorse Mourdock in 2012?

[libertpaulian]

Donnelly is a NAY on Kavanaugh.

[libertpaulian]

Yikes, this gives Braun an opening. Conservatives love their rapists. Dems just get them kicked out of the Senate.

Senator Richard Mourdock says hi.

[ON Progressive]

Nobody actually changes their vote solely because of a Supreme Court confirmation vote. Most Americans can't even name a single SCOTUS judge after all.

The only people who care about SCOTUS picks are those very plugged in, and the very plugged in tend to be very partisan.

[Doimper]

Nobody actually changes their vote solely because of a Supreme Court confirmation vote. Most Americans can't even name a single SCOTUS judge after all.

The only people who care about SCOTUS picks are those very plugged in, and the very plugged in tend to be very partisan.

Probably true - but Kavanaugh's confirmation has been percolating outside the usual sphere of political junkies, for obvious reasons.

[Zaybay]

For those who think that voting Nay will screw over Donnelly, I refer to the polling done by Pew Research that shows that Ds care more about the nomination, and the Trafalgar poll, which, while poor, does show that Donnelly preforms better when he votes Nay. And this was done BEFORE the Sexual Allegations.

[ON Progressive]

Nobody actually changes their vote solely because of a Supreme Court confirmation vote. Most Americans can't even name a single SCOTUS judge after all.

The only people who care about SCOTUS picks are those very plugged in, and the very plugged in tend to be very partisan.

Probably true - but Kavanaugh's confirmation has been percolating outside the usual sphere of political junkies, for obvious reasons.

Yeah, and it's not exactly something that is benefiting Republicans given that he is the least popular Supreme Court nominee in history. In fact, I'm pretty sure Kavanaugh is the only SCOTUS nominee to ever have negative net favorability.

[Young Conservative]

The Donelly vote could drive some GOP voters to the polls. This definitely doesn't help him. While the hurt will be minimal, minimal matters in a tossup race.

[libertpaulian]

The Donelly vote could drive some GOP voters to the polls. This definitely doesn't help him. While the hurt will be minimal, minimal matters in a tossup race.

It will also light up the suburban women and minorities who might have been agnostic about Donnelly or even voting in the mid-term at all.