Published: November 20, 2008 10:34 am      

Analyst: How we turned blue

ELKHART, Ind. — Hoosiers just endured a “sensational election” and while the residents of Indiana may be conservative, they proved they are not resistant to change.

That was part of the message given Wednesday by political analyst and former newspaperman Brian Howey, who spoke at the luncheon meeting of the League of Women Voters of Elkhart County.

Howey pointed out the significance of Hoosier voters helping elect a Democratic president for the first time in 44 years.

He attributed this change from a Republican leaning to votes of Barack Obama because of visits here by the presidential team and supporters and the national economic downturn this fall.

“Obama visited Indiana 49 times, Biden was here four times and the Clintons visited a total of 150 times,” Howey pointed out. A half a million Hoosiers went to the political rallies held here this season.

While Obama was not a front-runner in the initial primary elections, he got his start in the Iowa caucus. Howey suggested maybe Indiana should go to the caucus system, or should return to hosting one of the early primary elections. Indiana used to hold a primary in February, but gave the date up to New Hampshire, he said.

Democrat landslide

Citing many statistics about voting, Howey said the election was a Democratic landslide, with Obama receiving 53 percent of the vote nationally. He explained that in 1976 Jimmy Carter received 50 percent and Bill Clinton only got 44 percent in three-way elections. He said this landslide was comparable to the 1964 election when Lyndon B. Johnson won as a Democrat.

Howey said Obama won with the help of two of the fastest growing segment of voters — young people and Hispanics. He pointed out that exit polls showed that 66 percent of 18-29-year-olds voted for Obama, 67 percent of Hispanics, 56 percent of females and 95 percent of African-American voters. He added that even 32 percent of young evangelical voters went for the Democrat candidate.

Local organization

The Obama campaign was very organized in Indiana with 44 local offices in cities — many of which were considered Republican strongholds, including Goshen, Auburn and Noblesville.

One of Obama’s 49 visits included a picnic last summer in Noblesville, Howey pointed out, in one of the most Republican counties in the state.

The campaign was very disciplined, he began a rapport during his visits here and “change” was the buzzword. Howey said at his home in the Indianapolis suburb of Broad Ripple, he had 10 “hits” or visits or phone calls from the Obama campaign.

“McCain was outperformed on the ground. The Republican Party kind of went off the cliff. That’s how they lost,” Howey said. The Obama campaign was helped by the September and October “financial meltdown,” Howey added.

“Eighty-two percent (of voters) said the economy was the top issue,” he said.

Howey said that Obama may be placing his past rivals into important posts. He predicted there is a “pretty good chance that Hilary (Clinton) will be named Secretary of State.”

Indiana’s story

Howey also commented on Indiana politics, after traveling this fall with Gov. Mitch Daniels. He compared Daniels to Obama and said while the two have not met, they have much in common, as political newcomers pushing for changes.

“They are a lot alike. I think they will get along well,” Howey said. He said Indiana is one of the few states with a fully-funded road program, thanks to the controversial lease of the Indiana Toll Road.

“Gov. Daniels said that he has been to Lake County 70 times” in recent years. Those visits helped him build rapport and helped cut the Democrat plurality in Lake County in this election, he pointed out.

Howey pointed out that Jill Long Thompson “disappeared” in advertising in the fall, and was off TV ads for seven weeks because of lack of money.