Is Indiana Poised To Turn Into A Blue State?

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/8554

By Doug Cunningham

Will a blue tide wash the red away in many states and congressional districts this Fall? United Steelworkers Indiana Rapid Response Coordinator Brett Voorhies thinks it will. Democrats backed by unions have won three recent special elections in solid “red” congressional districts – Illinois, Louisiana and Mississippi. In Indiana Voorhies says the USW made the difference backing Jill Long Thompson – the first woman to win the Democratic gubernatorial nomination there. He believes unions will help turn Indiana blue, regardless of whether the Democratic presidential nominee is Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton.

: “I think Indiana is on the path to being a blue state. Just the impact that we had in our primary - you know when 1.2 million people came out and voted Democrat, which is the biggest primary as far as I know that we've had in Indiana history. So, I think either one is gonna bring a big impact to the state of Indiana and possibly turn Indiana into a blue state."

Voorhies says worker political action through their unions can make a huge difference. In Indiana, Republican Governor Mitch Daniels too away state employee collective bargaining rights in his first hour in office. Workers and their unions, Voorhies says, can reverse actions like those.

: “Jill on day one will restore those collective bargaining rights for state employees and give them their union back."

[blueinindiana]

1. Sorry not going to happen anytime soon.

I have lived indiana all my life and if Jesus descended from heaven as a Democrat he would lose this state in a presidential election.

It is sad Indiana is one of those GUNS GOD and Gay states that has lost huge under Republican regimes yet the majority of my Fellow Hoosiers cling to their gun totting racist roots transplanted from the south.

I just don't understand the mentality even though I was born in raised in it!

[rusty quoin]

2. Where are you at blueinindiana? I live in Martinsville.

[blueinindiana]

3. Columbus

Martinsville! Yikes Klan COuntry or used to be !

[rusty quoin]

5. I've lived here since 2005. I am moving back east though.

Bill Clinton spoke here about 1.5 weeks ago. I wasn't able to see him, but asked if anyone had any info about it at my friendly local lumber store. One guy said the only reason he'd see Clinton was to see him hanged. There are some nice people though...some very involved people here trying to change things. The I-69 was big here, and got many involved. All in all, my experience in the town...I liked most, but didn't talk politics too much, unless I felt comfortable.

[saltpoint]

4. Omaha Steve, hello, and thank you for this post.

I can't predict, but I was encouraged by the turnout in the primary a couple weeks back, and on a strictly personal note, I think Mitch Daniels is a pile of crap.

A lot of Hoosiers of all stripes don't like Mitch and I don't think they can work up any powerful objection to Jill Long Thompson, so we may have a chance to grab the governor's mansion back for the blue team there in Indiana. I hope so, and I will be supporting Jill Long Thompson whole-heartedly.

I think the climb is steep toward converting the state, but not impossible to breach. I'm crossing all fingers til they turn blue!

Great post.