Yesterday was election day in many cities and in a couple of states. I thought I would post this particular result out of Indianapolis:
Quote
Republican Greg Ballard pulled off what he and many others are calling “the biggest upset in Indiana political history†Tuesday, defeating two-term Democratic Mayor Bart Peterson.
Ballard, a 52-year-old retired lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps, didn’t have much money and didn’t have the support of party insiders or the business community. But he had something better: votes.
Only a few months ago, Peterson was expected to cruise to an easy re-election to a third term. But voter anger about rising taxes and crime blew massive change into the City-County Building, from the mayor’s office to the council, where Republicans also recaptured the majority they lost four years ago.
“This is really unbelievable. I told everybody for so long that six months ago I was the only one who believed. But now everybody believes. This is the classic, if not the ultimate, example of grass-roots politics.â€
Ballard was massively outspent by Peterson in this election.
Ballard, though, had said throughout the campaign that the issues, and not money, would decide the race, and Tuesday night he was proved right.
“Money can’t buy me love,†he said. “but it doesn’t buy elections either.â€
Mike McDaniel, a former Indiana Republican Party chairman, said the lack of financial support means Ballard “doesn’t owe anybody anything.â€
The incumbent spent
$1,000,000 on the race, the successful challenger spent
$50,000. This is a prime example, of why I hold fervently to the belief that neither money NOR support from the powers-that-be, is NOT the be-all-end-all of elective politics.
Democracy IS still alive in this country. Whether it is still alive in Jacksonville, is an open question. Like Jax Indy is both conservative, consolidated and of similiar size.
Let's have a REAL election in 2011.
I just realized this was Indy. For some reason, when I first saw the thread topic, I assumed it was a smaller community in Indiana. This definately proves you don't have to be rich and well financially backed in the business community to win an election in a major city.
Did somebody say
grass-roots?
Oop's My Bad! Hee hee!
Ocklawaha
I don't want the roots. I want the purple hairs
No ! NO! Skot! All y'all that missed out on 1968 see this clip!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YINWUjFQRDU
Ocklawaha