Campaign finances play a huge roll on my decisions at the Ballot. Push the people making the money OUT OF INDIANA. You are out of touch, we deserve better representation. And all you have to do is look at the voting record of each of these people to know who really cares about Hoosiers, particularly the children. Stop reading into the propaganda and do the research folks. In 2022 you have no excuse for your ignorance and voting against your own interests. In my opinion, Wright is right for the job.
Thank you for covering this, as our local paper has lost the capacity to report on local campaign finance, voter/civic engagement issues. There are two top stories that got lost in the shuffle in this article and completely by the wayside in the press: the local GOP’s absence from public forums and this comparative D-R volume of funding is framed in a misleading way.
Alexander’s and Rowray’s campaign financiers are from outside lobbies that haven’t an interest in our community. So while their coffers are full, it’s from dark money super pacs buying their vote and support from them.
A couple of things that are vitally important when putting campaign finances and engagement into context:
I helped organize our community’s bipartisan voter/candidate forums and there was 29%
GOP participation (and in some cases, complete failure to acknowledge the Bowen Center’s invitation at all. These forums were held at Southside and Muncie Central, and so what message does that send high school students who participated in our forums?)
Elizabeth Rowray did not respond to Dr. Taylor at any point when he invited her participation to be accessible to voters. Basham and Alexander were both no shows.
Look.
Both Alexander and Rowray’s races against Melanie Wright were/are primarily funded by outside money and interests (you mentioned ALEC, also, two of Alexander’s mailers came from Florida) and I will say it again, neither Alexander or Rowray showed up to debate Wright and defend their positions.
And as it relates to public education, their party’s policies have resulted in a teacher exodus, 2,800 vacancies, a 6.1 billion dollar surplus, and and and.
Voters MUST know that GOP state candidates aren’t engaging with voters (except in private circles) and are they are hiding from debate. Their party has seized supermajority control in the General Assembly but their policies are deeply unpopular among Hoosiers.
They are using verifiably false accusations and those ads are funded, again, by outside interests.
Melanie Wright as you pointed out doesn’t have nearly the financial capacity that either one of them has had, so I would argue that if you’re going to accuse her of purchasing negative campaign ads, where are they?
On absenteeism:
The same strategy has been adopted by Sue Errington’s opponent Dale Basham. As someone who has really liked Mr. Basham put in the community I am terribly disappointed in him:
Conflating inflation caused by global instability and Biden to State Representative Sue Errington. It’s absolutely false and shameful.
He runs on education but refuses to show up to defend his positions on education or to even debate his opponent.
The common denominator here in both GOP races against Wright are outside money interfering, and there are severe consequences:
It’s nothing to be proud of and I am disappointed in the lack leadership demonstrated in the path they have chosen to follow. We all need to demand better behavior from them. Own your positions when you run for or hold an office.
Bottom line: It’s okay to have opposing views and policies but show up to defend them- where’s the dignity in ghosting voters and democracy?
These GOP candidates aren’t answering to voters (they don’t show up for them).
It’s easy money now? Will it be easy money later? No one can question Wright’s work ethic for people … Alexander has not showed or participated .. showing that will this be the case if he wins.. so very disappointed
Campaign finances play a huge roll on my decisions at the Ballot. Push the people making the money OUT OF INDIANA. You are out of touch, we deserve better representation. And all you have to do is look at the voting record of each of these people to know who really cares about Hoosiers, particularly the children. Stop reading into the propaganda and do the research folks. In 2022 you have no excuse for your ignorance and voting against your own interests. In my opinion, Wright is right for the job.
Thank you for covering this, as our local paper has lost the capacity to report on local campaign finance, voter/civic engagement issues. There are two top stories that got lost in the shuffle in this article and completely by the wayside in the press: the local GOP’s absence from public forums and this comparative D-R volume of funding is framed in a misleading way.
Alexander’s and Rowray’s campaign financiers are from outside lobbies that haven’t an interest in our community. So while their coffers are full, it’s from dark money super pacs buying their vote and support from them.
A couple of things that are vitally important when putting campaign finances and engagement into context:
I helped organize our community’s bipartisan voter/candidate forums and there was 29%
GOP participation (and in some cases, complete failure to acknowledge the Bowen Center’s invitation at all. These forums were held at Southside and Muncie Central, and so what message does that send high school students who participated in our forums?)
Elizabeth Rowray did not respond to Dr. Taylor at any point when he invited her participation to be accessible to voters. Basham and Alexander were both no shows.
Look.
Both Alexander and Rowray’s races against Melanie Wright were/are primarily funded by outside money and interests (you mentioned ALEC, also, two of Alexander’s mailers came from Florida) and I will say it again, neither Alexander or Rowray showed up to debate Wright and defend their positions.
And as it relates to public education, their party’s policies have resulted in a teacher exodus, 2,800 vacancies, a 6.1 billion dollar surplus, and and and.
Voters MUST know that GOP state candidates aren’t engaging with voters (except in private circles) and are they are hiding from debate. Their party has seized supermajority control in the General Assembly but their policies are deeply unpopular among Hoosiers.
They are using verifiably false accusations and those ads are funded, again, by outside interests.
Melanie Wright as you pointed out doesn’t have nearly the financial capacity that either one of them has had, so I would argue that if you’re going to accuse her of purchasing negative campaign ads, where are they?
On absenteeism:
The same strategy has been adopted by Sue Errington’s opponent Dale Basham. As someone who has really liked Mr. Basham put in the community I am terribly disappointed in him:
Conflating inflation caused by global instability and Biden to State Representative Sue Errington. It’s absolutely false and shameful.
He runs on education but refuses to show up to defend his positions on education or to even debate his opponent.
The common denominator here in both GOP races against Wright are outside money interfering, and there are severe consequences:
It’s nothing to be proud of and I am disappointed in the lack leadership demonstrated in the path they have chosen to follow. We all need to demand better behavior from them. Own your positions when you run for or hold an office.
Bottom line: It’s okay to have opposing views and policies but show up to defend them- where’s the dignity in ghosting voters and democracy?
These GOP candidates aren’t answering to voters (they don’t show up for them).
They’re answering to ALEC and super pac company.
It’s easy money now? Will it be easy money later? No one can question Wright’s work ethic for people … Alexander has not showed or participated .. showing that will this be the case if he wins.. so very disappointed