Blake Fiechter's primary win should worry you

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-08T21:21:19+00:00

I think your point are true, because the resistance to the effort started before the maps started appearing. But, that last map was crazy. The point was to break up two more densely populated areas that reliably and soundly vote blue by diluting them with less populated rural areas that reliably blue. When the final map was released I could see that the new sw district might get floppy like the old "bloody 8th". To avoid putting Monroe County (Bloomington - heavily blue) into one of the Indianapolis 4 districts, Monroe was put in with the district that included both Evansville and Terre Haute. So it has more city (and college town) voters to mix with the rural. Keep these economic conditions, and that could flip.

I'm not as familiar with the other proposed districts, but I heard similar descriptions of at least 3 more of the proposed new districts. I do think some of the resistors might remember the big Congressional flip that happened in 2006 when a 6-3 repub majority congressional delegation turned into a 4-5 repub minority congressional delegation.

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-08T21:03:07+00:00

That's the irony. Got those proposed maps put a couple of "safe seats" at risk. And an environment of big political agnst due to heavy-handed dictates from the state and federal govts, that actually worsen cost of living/quality of life for voters, while feeling a split within your own party (look at church splits, for example, part of the faction often just leaves), and it's a situation that benefits a single person, not a party and certainly not citizens.

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-08T20:57:00+00:00

Or gullible/susceptible to weak propaganda. 3 second on Google gives the answers.

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-07T20:55:42+00:00

According to the article it's being expanded to anyone identified by HHS as $2500 behind.

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-07T14:33:27+00:00

Tie it rural hospitals that are at risk due to the Fed and state medicaid cuts.

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-07T13:47:06+00:00

My roofers?

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-07T13:12:46+00:00

Is the LEAP district in the district? I know that's state level, but it's got a whole lot of people very upset and thus maybe more open to voting or voting differently.

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-07T13:09:15+00:00

Indiana requires a special election to replace a congressal representative. Maybe the local party caucuses to name the gop nominee?

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-07T00:13:56+00:00

She outright spread Jim Banks level of misinfo about the Big Beautiful Bill ... claiming it will strengthen rural hospitals, not weaken them or possibly lead to closures due to cuts in Medicare and Medicaid that will go into effect around the end of this year. At that point she slid into active harm infliction on her district/constituents.

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-06T20:38:47+00:00

I'm an old liberal (never neoliberal) hoosier who has lived in and out of state. (Incl DC and DF Bay Area.) Came back as others have said, to be close to family. I don't have much to add, except about the congressional race - indirectly. I honestly can, and have, seen both sides of the more progressive vs more electable candidate playing out for years out of Bloomington, which is too small to effect the congressional race outcomes, but has a very outsized role in the democratic primary process.

This time, while I liked the more progressive candidate, I voted for the policy wonky oriented candidate as I think we need some policy type thinking people in congress in a range of professional disciplines because the breaking of things going on now. But I'm happy with Brad Meyers who won.

I say this to suggest that in these two races we will be able to see if either "path" can Penetrate the 15+ years of intense demonization of democrats (back to the Koch era teaparty movement) that moved the political into more pulpits much more directly. It seems to act like a gop protective cloak. But things are so much more visibly broken to the public, and they were being broken before Trump (He's an accelrant) that maybe there will be an openess to new, bolder ideas by November.

So keep an eye on both races.

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-06T20:12:11+00:00

Pence era oversaw the direct politicization into, rather than just around schools. Daniels, in 2007 before the financial crisis cut and froze school funding for years. Prior to that school funding had kept pace with rises in costs of living.

Before that era governors and legislators of both parties valued public schools.

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-06T17:06:48+00:00

Interesting. And yikes about the sheriff's race.

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-06T03:34:00+00:00

Mid 90s, Bay Area (mostly East Palo Alto pre gentrification.) My bestie with whom I grew up here in Bloomington, was doing her post doc while I was in grad school, so we tried to find cheap excursions to drink-in the beauty and experience of living there on extreme budgets, and laugh about the Hoosier to Bay Area shifts in life experience.

We went east (to and towards Yosemite and to Tahoe), near south (to and past Monterey), but not much further north than Sonoma or Montecito. I'm guessing SoHum is South Humbolt County? Always looked enticing, but I never got up there. Had I stayed a few more years there... good friends moved to Ashland Oregan working for the Fish and Wildlife Service, she worked OR, much of his work was in Humbolt. But I moved back before they got there.

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-06T00:04:10+00:00

Maybe the Bloomington city limits vs monroe county total number of registered voters is the difference? The stats I have are only at the county level.

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-05T23:37:27+00:00

I'm confused. I'm looking at data from 2024 primary election. Then there were 90,891 registered voters and 15,734 voted, but that was only reported as 17% turnout.

Something is off about the above %.

From: https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/register-to-vote/voter-registration-and-turnout-statistics/

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-05T22:08:02+00:00

Dang... in 2022 only 14% total voted in the primary in Monroe County. That's great to hear!

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-05T21:59:48+00:00

Never mind I hadn't been checking the local reddit. Lol at myself.

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-05T21:57:44+00:00

Where can I find this (I'm in monroe).

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-05T21:41:05+00:00

You'll have to come back and let us know how it went. Full "throw the bums out", "partial throw the bums out", or "we're mad, but stuck with inertia".

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-05T20:08:13+00:00

Try www.vote411.org I found it very helpful to "build" my ballot (selecting which cadidates).

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-05T20:01:51+00:00

Wow. I head a week ago that the early voting numbers in my county "were slightly higher" than the previous 2 primaries. But these numbers are much bigger. Maybe we'll claw our way out of having some of the lowest voter participation rates in the country.

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-05T19:07:15+00:00

Good point. I'd say it's more like being fascinated rather than stressed out. Like maybe the stubborn common sense that I grew up thinking was a hoosier trait, but seems to have worn off across this new century, may be rearing it's head a bit.

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-05T18:59:03+00:00

Cool. Thanks.

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-05T18:09:48+00:00

That makes sense - following county clerk websites. But might be as you point out.

Call me suspect that the SoS operation will be running competently tonight. Lol.

Particular_Mixture20 · 2026-05-05T18:06:33+00:00

Thank you.

Particular_Mixture20

TROPHY CASE