I am Barry Welsh and I am running for Congress in Indiana’s 6th District.
Before any more politics, I want to share a personal note. I just want to thank everyone who has welcomed my wife Sherri, to all of the various blogs that she now visits. She is new to blogging and new to National politics, so she is getting a crash course and I am glad that she shares her unique look at things. She sees things differently than I do, and she sees things that I sometimes miss because of big picture focus, so again thanks to all that have been so kind to her.
Now, Politics.
I often find myself defending our campaign, and the talented and passionate people that make it possible. Those working closely within the campaign understand the validity, but those on the outside sometimes question our legitimacy. All of the experts, all of those that make predictions from a far, say we have no chance here in Indiana’s 6th, and I understand that and will explain both why they think that way, and why it is not true, by the numbers.
The first thing that people look at is money. It takes a lot of money to run a congressional campaign. Some think it takes millions of dollars, and it does require huge money to meet payroll and to pay back loans, and to lease motor homes and buses.
We just are doing it differently here. No buses, no loans, no payroll.
It is often said that 50% of all campaign funds are wasted; it is just knowing which 50%! We are doing it in a manner that will prove public financing of elections are economically possible.
I am using my own gas money. All of our funds will go to targeted advertising and marketing. Dollars don’t vote, people do.
So when looking at dollars, the experts say we don’t have a chance. (SMILE)
But we are running the campaign as we will serve in Washington, ever aware of the people’s money.
Let me also say that we have a waiver from first quarter reporting because of our primary which is four weeks from today. So our donations, all from individuals, and county parties, with the lone exception of Senator Russ Feingold’s Progressive Patriot PAC contribution, will be public after others are released. Not just our’s but all of Indiana’s numbers.
Now the numbers that matter. The voters.
There are 19 Counties in this district and it is the size of the state of New Hampshire, so it is like running for Governor of New Hampshire instead of running in a few blocks of a big city.
The second reason no expert gives us a chance is the registered voters in the district.
There are 90, 322 Republican Primary Voters. There are 70,353 Democratic Primary voters and there are 10,730 Primary Swing voters.
So at a glance we are down 20,000 from the start. But we are only down 10,001. And that means if just a little over 500 Republicans in each county have had enough, we level that.
Here is the kicker though, the little secret that no one wants us to know.
232,556 That is the number of Independents. Registered voters who do not declare party preference. This is where we win!
This is where Bush’s 37% approval rating comes from. The solid base that is still crumbling. His numbers and the Governors numbers will go down even more this month.
Congressman Pence has a primary opponent who is not running an active campaign and however many Republicans that vote for George Holland, will be doing so in protest of Pence. Every one of those votes is potentially ours. If Holland gets into double digits on May 2nd ,(10% 0f 90,000 being 9,000) then we are heads up with the Independents and swings being the deciders in the 6th District.
So in four weeks, it will be easy to see where this race is heading.
This district was represented by Democrats for the 20 years before Pence, and I remind people what it was like for those 20 years, and what has happened in the 6 years since Pence and Bush.
I am going to keep doing that until November 7th at 6:00PM
Check out our website to see our “Taking Back America, One Door at a Time” plan in action, and as a little bonus some of the talented staff have produced The ABC’s of Corruption Give it a glance for a smile!
I have one more secret weapon, and it is not my faith, it is you! You reading this right now. Thank You. Thank all of YOU! The netroots will end up being the key advantage in this campaign. From Maryscott O’Connor’s kind blog ad contribution, to the donors, to the voters on DFA and the Progressive Patriot PAC, you are powering this effort, and again Thank YOU!
