So after a bunch of comments from Hoosiers a week or two ago, I finally made my decision and I sent off my absentee ballot.
Really, of course, there was no question (or choice) for US President or US Senator: Barack Obama and Joe Donnelly, respectively, got my primary votes.
However, for the 9th Congressional District, I had to do a bit of soul searching, and I ended up voting for Jonathan George — and here’s why:
I wanted to vote for a Democrat who can (and will) beat Todd Young, the incumbent Republican. If the Congressional District consisted solely of Bloomington, then Shelli Yoder would be my choice as she would easily win Bloomington. Unfortunately for her, the 9th Congressional District extends pretty far south (to the Kentucky border, in fact), and incorporates a lot of rather conservative areas — and she is too liberal to win these areas.
Therefore, I made a pragmatic choice: As a retired Air Force General, Jonathan George has the credentials to convince people to vote for him. Coming from near Bedford, he speaks the language necessary to win.
I realize that seems like a weak reason — but it’s not: I would rather have a not-quite-as-liberal-as-I’d-like Jonathan George in office than Shelli Yoder giving a concession speech. It is more important to me that Todd Young finds himself on the street (or in my bed) than it is that somebody who is as far left as I am finds herself on the outside.
In 2000, I voted idealistically for Ralph Nader, and I got George W. Bush.
In 2012, I am voting pragmatically for Jonathan George.
He can win in November.
And that is important to me.
> In 2000, I voted idealistically for Ralph Nader…
Don’t feel bad, so did I. Although my voting home of Arizona is not exactly a swing state, so I don’t feel very guilty about it at all.
Actually, I voted in Indiana in 2000, and in 2000 … yeah, when I reflect on it, I don’t feel guilty at all.
I don’t know, Yoder looks pretty electable to me. George and Winningham seem like Wesley Clark and or John Kerry. Perhaps the purely idealistic choice this time is John Griffin Miller. Yoder seems like a candidate in the mold of Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama – remember, Indiana voters elected Obama. Voters in this district voted for Baron Hill and Lee Hamilton. It’s not perhaps as red meat as many people perceive.
OMG RU kidding? Pro-nuclear, climate denier Jonathan George?!
If you wanted a moderate-right Democrat, Winningham and Yoder fit the bill without being so far right as to be blurring the line as to being a Democrat at all.
I agree that Miller is too far left to win in the conservative areas, but not Yoder! She’s smart, educated, informed and comes from a hard-working middle class Hoosier family.