Indiana 2008

[isoscelessquare]

In 2008, Mitch Daniels was reelected convincingly at the same time Obama won the state. Daniels won Marion County by 10 pts while Obama won there by over 20, and won Hamilton by nearly 70 while McCain only won by around 20. However, Daniels had average performances in other Republican areas of the state. What led to Daniels winning traditionally Democratic areas while performing normally in other areas at the same time Obama overperformed everywhere?

[libertpaulian]

Jill Long Thompson was a joke of a candidate and didn't hit Daniels hard in the areas she needed to in order to have a chance.  I went to the gubernatorial debate in Merrillville that fall, and he came out swinging.  Plus, Daniels even aired an ad urging Obama voters who were tempted to split their tickets to do so.

[Hoosier_Nick]

Daniels was the perfect kind of candidate for Marion County and Hamilton County; completely disregard social issues, but fiscally conservative. Daniels even won a lot of the majority black areas, and dominated in now clear blue downtown Indianapolis! Daniels' win in central Indiana was absolutely remarkable, but it all comes down to how he was the perfect fit and Thompson was... not.