In 2008 Indiana endured two historic elections – the Democrats’ primary between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, and November’s general election.
The primary was historic because it never really mattered before. Its timing in May typically came long after the field had cleared – but 2008 was not a typical year; Clinton still was technically in the race because Obama had not clinched the magic number of super-delegates needed to secure the party’s nomination.
The general election was historic because it marked the first time in 44 years that the Hoosier State picked a Democrat for president.
So was there joy among Democrats that Indiana finally was in their corner?
Hardly.
“The Hoosier state only went for Barack Obama by 12,000 votes, a razor-thin margin,” explains Purdue University political science professor Bert Rockman. “Republicans won overwhelmingly in other statewide races.”
The presidential vote margin resulted from intense mobilization on college campuses and among minorities.
Unless those groups can be as intensely mobilized as in 2008, 2010 and 2012 will be difficult for Indiana Democrats.
Three of Indiana’s U.S. House seats have the potential to swing back to Republicans: the 8th, held by Brad Ellsworth, the likely Democrat choice to replace Bayh; the 2nd, held by Joe Donnelly; and the 9th, held by Baron Hill.
That is why we must mobilize more conservative candidates and voters this time around.-SP
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