I am
Barry Welsh and I am the Democratic Party Congressional Candidate for Indiana's 6th District. We WON the nomination!
I was active in the blog world before entering the Congressional race last year, and the blog communities are a huge reason why we won yesterday. THANK YOU!
We have some problems with machines in this district, and the final totals are still not available, but we have much to be excited about. Please see below.
Some Comments from others, then we will look at the numbers.
Democratic Candidate for Indiana's 6th Congressional District, Barry Welsh, has won a decisive primary victory, winning over 70% of the votes cast. Welsh now looks forward to challenging incumbent Republican Congressman Mike Pence.
These Primary results show that Barry Welsh is a serious contender in the November race with Representative Mike Pence. With most precincts reporting, this year's Democratic challengers received a significantly higher per cent of the vote than Pence's challenger in the 2002 and 2004 primaries. Democrats showed confidence in Welsh's candidacy and are going into the general election highly motivated for change. With polls indicating that independent voters are heavily favoring Democratic candidates this year, Barry Welsh is well-positioned for his race against Mike Pence.
With no or incomplete results from five Counties still remaining to be reported, the Democratic Congressional candidates are at 76% of Pence's vote in this Primary, as compared with 53% in the last off-year primary election (2002). Given that most of the competive races were on the Republican side, this is an astonishing showing for Democrats, and places Barry Welsh in a very strong position going into the General Election.
First, the vote count so far. Democratic Candidates have roughly 33,000 votes so far of the total cast, with more to come. (One county the machines counted the Republican votes, but not the Democratic votes. One county the machines counted votes in elections for NO Challenger. And there are more problems so a final count might be a long time coming.)
But as it stands right now, it is roughly 33,000 Dem votes to 58,000 Republican votes.
About 15% of those Republican votes were for Pence's OPPONENT, protest votes, and they will stay home, not vote, or vote for us. The 33,000 Dem votes thus far are an INCREASE over the 2002 vote total of 29,450 Dem, again, with more Dem votes to count. If you take away the votes against Pence, it is a lot closer than anyone ever thought it could be, and we are just starting!
More Dems have come to the polls in this district in this primary than in the last off year, and by the way, the Dem total in 2004 was 31,000 plus, so we have more than in the last Presidential Primary. How many Districts has this happened in?
Congressman Mike Pence has figured this out, regardless of what the "experts" read into all of this. He challenged ME to a series of debates in the fall last night through the Muncie Star Press, with each of us picking topics. Anyone that knows Pence, knows this is not his usual strategy.
Second, we did this without State or National Party Support. They did not work against us, but they did not make this happen.
Third, we did this with the netroots, the grassroots, and the hard work of a handful of people.
Forth, we did this with just under $10,000 cash. Every thing else was Payment in Kind, and me paying my own expenses. We had support from one PAC, Senator Russ Feingold's Progressive Patriot PAC, and everything else was from small donors and county parties, and the majority of those small donors came from the net communities. This is a district that has been devistated by economics and there are 17,000 more families living in poverty than in 2000! There is not much extra money in this district.
Fifth, we are starting all over again today, and working even harder until November and victory, because it can happen. Check the numbers not the dollars. We do need dollars, and we need serious dollars to compete. You can help with that by contacting the DCCC and telling them what is happening here in the 6th of Indiana, you can go to DFA and recommend our campaign, you can host a kos virtual house party fundraiser, you can do many things to continue to help even though you might not be here to vote. I am just the Candidate, You are ALL the Campaign. Like it or not, Like me or not, I am doing this for every American, and every human on Earth.
Finally, there are 242,000 Non primary voters in this district. 80% of those polled say they are voting Democratic for Congress in 2006. This is Not A Lost Cause we are mounting, it is the beginning of The New America! One door at a time.
Thank you all for all that you have done, and it is not time to stop supporting, it is time to double our efforts!
May God Have Mercy or America
And May Blessings be on Each of You!
Barry Welsh Indiana 6th District Democratic Party Congressional Candidate
A Special thanks to: Maryscott O'Connor, markos, every blogger and host, Rex Freedom, ManFromMiddletown, Libnewsie, Hellofasandwich, BENAWA, and so many, many others responsible for getting this cause this far. The Staff of Ben, Art, Amy, Paul, Adam, Peter, Jenni, Fred, Cliff, The advisors and committee, the County Party Chairs, and District Officers, all the volunteers and donors, you all have made this possible, and again, THANK YOU!