Coats’s Troubles Continue
Dan Coats and John Hostettler both missed yesterday’s filing deadline for campaign finance reports, but new reports now suggest why Coats may have delayed. The Hill reports that Coats raised a mere $379,000 in the first quarter, “markedly low for a big-name candidate in his initial fundraising quarter.” Although Marlin Stutzman has raised only about $125,000, and Hostettler is unlikely to top either of them, Coats was expected to significantly outpace the two much more than he has.
To add insult to injury for Coats, one of the largest conservative groups in the country may back democrat Brad Ellsworth if Coats wins the primary. Erik Erickson has indicated the NRA is going to go with Brad Ellsworth in the general election should Coats get the nod given Coats’s poor record on the second amendment.
As Hoosier Advocate broke exclusively, Hostettler and Coats are in a tight battle, with Stutzman coming in third. Ron Paul may soon endorse Hostettler and give him an even greater boost.
We think if independent, liberty-minded conservatives wanted to have a quality candidate in November, they should coalesce around one candidate. The evidence right now suggests that man is John Hostettler, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see Hostettler emerge from the primary victorious.
Checking in on SD 49
With the May 4th Indiana primary quickly approaching, it’s polling season, which means campaigns all over are looking to polling data in order to gauge their efforts thus far and discern their best strategy in the final weeks. We here at Hoosier Advocate have been fortunate enough to obtain the results of several different polls, and that latest leaked polling data comes from Indiana state senate district 49.
The race in Indiana Senate District 49 features a Republican primary between businessman Andrew Wilson and retired union worker Jim Tomes. The results suggest a relatively tight race, though one which currently favors Wilson. Here are the results of the head to head match-up:
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Ron Paul Set to Endorse Hostettler
The American Spectator notes the poll of the U.S. Senate race in Indiana which was first broke here at Hoosier Advocate, which shows a relatively close race between three front-runners: Dan Coats, John Hostettler and Marlin Stutzman.
Perhaps the biggest news from the American Spectator is that libertarian hero Rep. Ron Paul will soon endorse John Hostettler in the Senate race. This echoes similar reports from Indiana pundit Brian Howey. An endorsement by Ron Paul should provide yet another boost for Hostettler’s campaign and turn the heads of thousands of libertarian-leaning voters throughout the state. Ron Paul got 8% in a recent national poll of Republicans for presidential preference, and polls even better in the libertarian-minded State of Indiana.
Though helpful to Hostettler, Ron Paul’s support should not come as a surprise. Ron Paul and John Hostettler frequently voted alike during their time together in office, including their shared controversial votes against the Iraq War and against funding for Hurricane Katrina aid. Though it is not a surprise that Paul would back Hostettler’s campaign for Senate, it is significant nonetheless and could provide the nudge Hostettler needs to cross the finish line.
Exclusive: Leaked Senate Primary Poll
Hoosier Advocate has obtained exclusive results of internal statewide polling conducted by one of the Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate in Indiana. The results suggest that three of the candidates stand decent chances of succeeding, with the race still wide open.
A telephone survey of likely voters across the state finds former Senator Dan Coats and former Congressman John Hostettler virtually tied at 29% and 26% respectively, within the margin of error. State Senator Marlin Stutzman also remains in striking distance with 18% of likely voters. The survey was taken last Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Nineteen percent (19%) remain undecided in that match-up. Here are the results of the head to head match-up:
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Unless there is a major shift in the electorate, Don Bates, Jr. and Richard Beheny face little chance of winning the primary. Ironically these two anti-establishment candidates appear to be helping the establishment’s candidate, Dan Coats, the most. According to the poll, voters who plan to vote for Bates or Beheny (8% of primary voters) would otherwise vote for Hostettler and Stutzman.
Coats is viewed favorably by 30% and very unfavorably by 22% of likely Republican voters. Hostettler is viewed very favorably by 32% and very unfavorably by 5%. Stutzman is viewed favorably by 20%, while 3% regard him very unfavorably.
Battle of the Airwaves
Republican 8th district congressional candidate John Lee Smith has had a commercial on the airwaves for a while now, which can be viewed here. His primary opponent, Dr. Larry Bucshon, has responded today with a television ad of his own titled “I’ll Fight for You“.
Off Come the Gloves
John Hostettler unleashes the first intra-party attack ad in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate.
(Un)Lucky Number Seven
The Hoosierpundit notes that a grand total of seven people turned out to supports Ellsworth’s disastrous health care vote. This happens to be the same number of people that turned out for Trent Van Haaften’s “train wreck” of a campaign kickoff. Unfortunately for Trent and Brad, this kind of seven isn’t likely to be lucky.
From the C&P
The Courier & Press features a few interesting stories today that are worth highlighting:
- Hostettler slams health care reform law by Thomas Langhorne
- Bishop Gettelfinger blasts Ellsworth for health care vote by Eric Bradner
- Indiana will join legal challenge of health care reforms by Eric Bradner
From the Windbag Mailbag
We received an unsolicited email from the political blog City-County Observer, which led to the following email exchange. Although neither website is truly a newspaper, we’ve gone the extra-mile and published a print edition today, with a picture of that edition below. Perhaps it’ll help kick-start your Tuesday.
From: City-County Observer
Message: Please remove the City-County Observer from your political blog. We are not a blog site, we are a newspaper.
From: Hoosier Advocate
Message: We have reviewed your website and determined that it meets our standards for a political blog, rather than a normal newspaper.
From: City-County Observer
Message: I really don’t care what you determine our website to be. I want it removed as a link.
From: Hoosier Advocate
Message: No thanks. The link will stay as it is.
From: City-County Observer
Message: Our attorney will be in contact with you regarding this matter.
From: Hoosier Advocate
Message: Thanks. We look forward to that conversation.
From: City-County Observer
Message: Our problem lies with being listed as a blog. We would like to be listed as a newspaper. We have no problem with your site other than that. We are incorporated as a newspaper and as such, would like to be listed as one.
From: Hoosier Advocate
Message: Our problem is that we don’t respond to threats well, especially frivolous legal threats. We will continue listing you as a political blog, and your immature threats do nothing to help convince us you are a serious newspaper. Next time think twice before threatening to call a lawyer. It doesn’t scare us.
High Flying Steele
The Daily Caller reports that RNC Chairman Steele has quite the penchant for spending money. This bit really jumped out at us:
Once on the ground, FEC filings suggest, Steele travels in style. A February RNC trip to California, for example, included a $9,099 stop at the Beverly Hills Hotel, $6,596 dropped at the nearby Four Seasons, and $1,620.71 spent [update: the amount is actually $1,946.25] at Voyeur West Hollywood, a bondage-themed nightclub featuring topless women dancers imitating lesbian sex.
(Emphasis added.) We don’t really care that Steele has a spending problem. We’re thoroughly impressed that he’s managed to keep that kind of a visit out of the mainstream press. Carry on, soldier!
