I am running for Congress against Mike Pence in Indiana.
If Americans are being spied on, and it is not if, we know Americans are being spied on, so knowing Americans are being spied on, I do not have to stretch the imagination great lengths to presume that our campaign will be spied on.
After all, we are challenging the status quo. It will be a contest of grassroots against the establishment.
I am laying out our campaign plan, and advertising budget below the fold, as well as statistics on this district. Then I am going to ask for a minimum $10.00 donation from you. I will do this after you see where the money will go, and you decide if it is a worthy cause.
Please See below
Thanks for continuing to read. The district is Indiana 6th. It includes all or part of 19 counties. It is a new district that was created after the 2000 census. The North portion of the district was represented by Phil Sharp and was the driving force behind the 1992 Energy Policy Act which led to the restructuring of the wholesale electricity market, promoted renewable energy, established more rigorous energy-efficiency standards, and encouraged use of alternative fuels and the Southern Portion was represented by Lee Hamilton two men that I consider examples of what representatives should be.
Some numbers to consider from 2004 before you say this is an all red district and there is no hope. Do not look at the Kerry/Bush numbers but consider these:
(This is meant with no disrespect to the
previous two election cycle congressional campaigns, but here are some numbers that show there are votes to be won in this district and that the gap may not be as wide as perceived.)
Madison Delaware Wayne Henry Counties(D Votes in 2004)
Kernan/Davis Gov
25972 24123 12565 8674 4 county total 71,334
6th Dist.Cong. 2004
18654 17,970 8773 6062 4 county total 51,459
Again this is not about the last two campaigns, but somehow 19,875 votes
were cast for Kernan/Davis Democratic Governor Race and either did not vote, or voted Republican or
third party in the Congressional race in just these Four Counties, and that is huge.
I am assuming there are 25,000 more lost votes in the remaining 15 counties of the
district with similar numbers, and that is almost 45,000 lost votes. If you add 40,000 of that 45,000, to the Democrat total and subtract 40,000 from
the Republican, things are a lot closer in this district than perceived. There is only a 17,000 vote difference, and that means 9,000 swing votes can win an election if the district base is motivated.
The numbers come from The Indiana Secretary of State Election Division and the final numbers in 2004 were 182,529 Repub 85,123 Dem 4397 Independent. in the
6th.
My plan to win is the 5/25 Plan:
5/25
25,000 Madison County Votes
25,000 Delaware County Votes.
25,000 Wayne, Union, Fayette, Franklin Counties Votes
25,000 Henry, Rush, Shelby, Johnson, Bartholomew, Dearborn Counties Votes
25,000 Adams, Allen, Blackford, Jay, Randolph, Wells Counties Votes
125,000 votes in this district with an off year election turnout of under 40% should win this district.
As an unknown starting in February from scratch, our State Senate campaign drew better in 2004 than the Congressional Campaign.
As an FYI in the three counties where all of the county was in the election, here are those results
Fayette Rush Decatur (Democrat votes in 2004)
State Senate
3630 1956 2642 8228
Sixth Dist Cong
3289 1603 2653 7545
We are not going to match Pence in fundraising and we are not going to try.
We are not going to dwell on what we cannot do, instead we are going to focus on what we can do.
How can we get the message out there and defeat Congressman Pence? The best form of advertising is
word of mouth and that is how we will get the message out, supplemented with frugal and targeted advertising.
Here is our bare boned advertising budget and
does not include yard signs, banners, premiums, etc. It begins at election day and works back to advertising kickoff.
Advertising
$100,000
November 7th 2006
20 spots per day per Radio station begin 6am end 6pm
All stations in District
Blanket Cable Advertising in Anderson Muncie New Castle
Richmond
Heavy every where else
Newspapers across the district Daily.
Direct Mail Piece
November 1st
$50,000
October 31st
10 spots per day per Radio station in district
Heavy Cable Advertising in North and South through
election day
Heavy Coverage in Anderson Muncie New Castle Richmond
Until final week when elevated to Blanket
Twice Weekly in newspapers across the district
Labor Day
$20,000
August 31st
5 spots per day per Radio station in district
Medium Cable Rotation in District
Weekly (Wednesday) Newspapers
July 4th
$10,000
July 3rd
5 spots per day select Radio station
Light Cable Rotation in Largest 10 Markets in District
Light Newspaper in Largest 10 Markets in District
May 1st
$5,000
April 30
5 spots per week select Radio
Light Cable Rotation in Largest 5 Markets in District
Light Newspaper in Largest 5 Markets
February 1st Advertising kickoff.
$185,000 to have a chance at winning.
We need 18,500 people to give 10 dollars. This is the grass roots and this is where the money will go. That gives us a chance. This is not counting
CAP/PAC Monies as those will be used for the traditional yard signs, banners, etc.
That is the advertising proposal for a bare bones campaign to supplement the grassroots boots on the ground word of mouth campaign and net awareness that has already begun.
For the good of your country, please give at least $10.00 to this campaign, and pass this information along.
They say “You are either with us or against us,” and I say you are either part of the problem or part of the solution. Please support our campaign. Visit the website and donate.
Barry Welsh
Indiana 6th District Congressional Candidate
