I admire the Halloween decorations in people’s yards and the costumes Hoosiers are posting on social. I guess I just missed the dress-up gene, but I loved trick-or-treating when I was younger.
My family and I live in the countryside, so our children never ring the bell. So this year, I decided to come up with my own trick-or-treating and election style.
Trick or treat!
trick
— Indiana has a vacancy in the U.S. Senate that was decided before it actually started. It’s definitely a bit of magic. 3rd District Republican Congressman Jim Banks jumped into the race for Brown’s vacated seat early and never looked back. His close ties to the Club for Growth were a devastating blow to former Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, who decided not to run in the primary. Then, due to Indiana’s two-primary rule, another candidate was removed from the ballot. So Banks was on cruise control. He has polled double digits in every poll this year and was absent from the statewide debate held for this election.
handle
–The actual gubernatorial election is a welcome surprise. Campaigns from both major parties have floated proposals on a number of topics, from property taxes and marijuana to education and health care. I applaud them for not taking the easy route of using red meat on both sides. For example, property taxes are complex and it is difficult to explain the approach to voters. The same goes for medical and educational expenses. All three candidates are able to openly discuss issues, participate in multiple debates, and are mostly above contention.
trick
— Sen. Mike Braun pulled the biggest trick of the year, running a Photoshopped ad without the required legal disclaimer. Even after he added a disclaimer, it became clear that the ad was problematic. As a result, signs held up by supporters at opponent Jennifer McCormick’s rally were changed from “McCormick” to “No Gas Stoves” signs. Brown’s campaign then pivoted back to its original sign, but ads ran for weeks claiming McCormick wanted to ban gas stoves, even though he never said so.
handle
— Avid voters. On the other hand, it is frustrating to see reports of long lines forming during early voting. Some counties appear to have not properly planned for increasing the number of polling places and voting machines. But I’ll include longer lines than no lines. This means voters are actively participating and want their voices to be heard. Now, the toxic rhetoric from voters sometimes goes too far. But they are doing their civic duty and I am grateful to them.
trick
— Micah Beckwith won his first victory at the summer state convention, defeating the Republican candidate for vice presidential nomination. More conservative delegates chose Beckwith, a self-proclaimed Christian nationalist, as their candidate for lieutenant governor instead of safe-minded Rep. Julie McGuire. He had been campaigning for the position for a year. After the shock victory, a prominent Republican lawyer sent a memo saying Beckwith could be a weak link for Brown. And as the competition intensified, he repeatedly became a distraction for Brown’s camp.
and the last snack
— Gov. Eric Holcomb dressed up as Abraham Lincoln for Halloween last night, and he looked absolutely perfect. He definitely has enough height to take on the former president. First Lady Janet Holcomb participated as Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark. This year’s theme is characters representing historical figures representing Indiana.
Niki Kelly is the editor-in-chief of indianacapitalchronicle.com, where this commentary first appeared. She has covered Indiana politics and the Indiana State Legislature since 1999 for publications such as the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. Where to send your comments (email protected).
