Optimistic Donnelly helps Putnam Democrats open headquarters

Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Appearing at the opening of Putnam County Democrat headquarters Monday afternoon, U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly addresses an estimated 50 supporters and fellow candidates in the old Game Warehouse storefront on the south side of the courthouse square in Greencastle.
Banner Graphic/ERIC BERNSEE

Just two weeks away from Election Day in a race considered a virtual deadheat by several pollsters, incumbent U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly was nothing but optimistic Monday afternoon as he helped Putnam County Democrats open 2018 campaign headquarters in Greencastle.

From the time he drove up in front of the old Game Warehouse storefront at 8 W. Washington St. to the moment he bade goodbye with "our best days are still ahead of us," Donnelly was upbeat and hopeful and anything but the politician he's being portrayed as in the barrage of commercials his opponent, Republican Mike Braun, has been running.

To be fair, Sen. Donnelly is running a like barrage of TV ads that sometimes air back to back to back on local television. But even he's ready for the name calling (Mexico Joe, China Mike) to end and the issues to take over the race.

"That would be nice," Donnelly told the Banner Graphic in a brief interview after shaking hands, speaking to and taking selfies with about 50 supporters and local candidates in the room.

"I'm focused on the issues of health care, continued jobs growth, great education like DePauw University provides and making the lives of Hoosiers better," he said.

The election, Donnelly has said, "is not about nicknames, not about rallies. It's about jobs and it's about health care and making sure that paychecks are getting bigger."

Speaking to the assembled group, Donnelly pointed to his six years in the U.S. Senate to say, "Since I've been in the Senate we've been able to save healthcare, and everybody can get coverage for pre-existing conditions. Also, we've had 70 consecutive months where every single month we've had increased job growth.

"That's our job," the incumbent U.S. senator noted, "to make sure ever family's dream can come true."

In addition to visiting Greencastle and Putnam County for about 45 minutes, Donnelly was in Indianapolis earlier Monday and was headed back to Terre Haute to meet with some union folks after spending the day there on Saturday.

"We knocked on over 75,000 doors this weekend as we campaigned around the state," Donnelly said, alluding to his re-election team and supporters.

"I was in Terre Haute knocking on doors on Saturday," he continued. "No, I did not knock on 75,000 doors, but I did my best."

He also pointed out that Get Out the Vote numbers "are way ahead of schedule, which is awesome, we hope it continues that way."

"Thank you, thank you for knocking on doors," he told the locals. "Thanks for all your hard work. Now, let's go win these elections. Local elections, state elections, and federal elections."

Donnelly also offered kind words for DePauw, which was represented by about a dozen students at the Democrat headquarters event.

"I will also tell you I have a number of DePauw graduates on my staff. They are amazing and much smarter than I am. We are excited about having them.

"I talked to the president of DePauw," he said, referring to a visit with President Mark McCoy, "and he said 'What we try and teach is leadership,the ability to not only comprehend but then to lead.'"

Donnelly himself has led the way on the E15 issue, campaigning for the EPA to allow year-round sales of the gasoline blend that contains 15 percent ethanol. Sales had been prohibited during summer months over relatively unfounded concerns of E15 adding to smog problems. He has helped champion the fuel because it can potentially expand the market for Hoosier corn growers as well as being a slightly cheaper alternative to gasoline, thus impacting everyone's wallet.

E15 legislation is something Donnelly said he's "worked on for a long time" as a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, which had hoped to pass federal legislation allowing year-round use.

Instead, it took an executive order from President Trump earlier this fall to make it a reality.

"I'm very grateful for what the president did," Donnelly told the Banner Graphic of an effort that took crossing party lines to make happen. "It's good for Indiana farmers. It's good for the country. It's an across-the-board plus for everyone."

Asked what message he would leave Putnam County residents as he headed off to the next political event, Donnelly was brief and to the point.

"Make sure everybody votes," he stressed.