I'm sure somebody has already asked this question and has already answered it, however I feel that it needs to be answered once more for my benefit. How the hell is Barack Obama tied with John McCain in Indiana, when John Kerry lost Indiana back in 2004 by nearly twenty percentage points? In my books, Obama does not seem like the type that would appeal to those in the Hoosier State.
Well, a number of factors.
1. Indiana is the youngest state outside of Illinois in the entire Midwest, Rustbelt, Upper Midwest region. Lots of college students, not too many old people. Obama appeals to these people quite a bit. Like, Obama's registered 11k IU students just since mid-August, 1,000 today alone.
2. A large portion of the state (%20) is in the expensive Chicago media market, meaning that Obama kinda-sorta was their senator, they see Obama's face constantly in the Chicago tribune, and only Obama can afford to compete there.
3. Obama's the only one competing in the state, investing millions and millions running ads, organizing high schoolers, and so on.
4. Social values aren't playing a role this time around.
5. Obama's primary competition heavily and successfully invested into Indiana as the deciding state to finish Hillary off. They got a great organization in place, lots of names, lots of volunteers, and so on.
