Libertarian candidates Jo Jorgensen, Donald Rainwater rally in Westfield

[Muda69]

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2020/09/28/presidential-election-libertarian-jo-jorgensen-campaign-westfield/3530950001/

Quote

The novel coronavirus pandemic has altered everyday life in Indiana, including election campaigning. Most candidates have opted for small fundraising events, rather than massive rallies.

Sunday night, though, there was a small sense of normalcy as a lesser-known presidential candidate, Libertarian Jo Jorgensen, stopped at Grand Park in Westfield to rally support for her candidacy.

Neither President Donald Trump or Democratic nominee Joe Biden have visited the state during the general election campaign so far. 

Four years ago, Trump campaigned in the same spot. Back then, thousands of people crowded close together inside the massive Grand Park Events Center.

Sunday evening's rally looked much different. A few hundred people were in lawn chairs scattered outside the event center, directly in front of Jorgensen's bus. Maybe a quarter of those attending wore masks. Cheers from nearby sporting events occasionally interrupted the speakers. 

The rally was part of Jorgensen's bus tour traveling to nearly every state — four had too many restrictions to do so, she said. Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Donald Rainwater and his running mate, William Henry, both gave speeches as well. 

Trump is holding rallies in battleground states — Indiana isn't widely seen as an in-play state because he won by almost 20 points— and Biden is mostly campaigning virtually out of respect to local health guidelines concerning COVID-19. That makes Jorgensen's campaign stop an anomaly here. 

"I haven't gotten the coronavirus yet," she told IndyStar. "It's people's choices. Somebody could be killed in a car accident on the way."

There isn't much of a history of Libertarian electoral success In Indiana. Across the state, eight Libertarians hold elected office, and all are at the town level. 

Jorgensen knows the uphill battle she faces as she's left off debate stages and given scant media attention compared to her two major-party opponents. But she doesn't see herself as a spoiler. 

"I haven't gotten the coronavirus yet," she told IndyStar. "It's people's choices. Somebody could be killed in a car accident on the way."

There isn't much of a history of Libertarian electoral success In Indiana. Across the state, eight Libertarians hold elected office, and all are at the town level. 

Jorgensen knows the uphill battle she faces as she's left off debate stages and given scant media attention compared to her two major-party opponents. But she doesn't see herself as a spoiler. 

"I would like to see myself as a winner of the race," Jorgensen told IndyStar. "I’m not here to spoil the race, I’m here to give people an alternative of what they’re looking for."

During her speech, she advocated for decriminalizing drugs and reigning in spending before taking questions and comments from the crowd. 

She criticized the United State's incarceration rate, blaming much of it on drugs.

"What we have now is not a drug problem," Jorgensen said. "What we have now is a prohibition problem."

She also called for an end to no-knock warrants, qualified immunity for police officers and federal involvement in policing. For example, she argued that the government should not be supplying military equipment to police departments.

She emphasized that government-run health care is not the answer to lowering health care costs. The primary issue, she said, is that Americans use health insurance for all health costs instead of those that are unexpected, which drives up cost. 

All of Jorgensen's policy plans center around creating a hands-off federal government both at home and internationally, while cutting taxes and slashing the budget across the board. That includes both domestic and military spending. She would push to end the Federal Reserve System and eliminate the federal income tax.

"It's time to move money out of the government sector and back to the people who earned it. Politicians and bureaucrats don't know what you need, you do," Jorgensen said. "As I ask for your vote for president, I’m not asking you to cast a vote for me. Instead I think you should vote for you."

The rally was about more than Jorgensen; other candidates used the opportunity to introduce themselves to potential voters. Ken Tucker, the 5th Congressional District Libertarian candidate, walked around handing out business cards. 

When Rainwater and Henry spoke before Jorgensen, both said their campaign against Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb and Democratic candidate Woody Myers had been gaining ground in recent weeks. A recent poll by Indy Politics and Change Research showed Holcomb had support from 36% of likely voters, Myers had 30% and Rainwater had 24%. 

Rainwater started off his speech not by paraphrasing a Libertarian, but a Republican: former President Ronald Reagan. 

"In this present crisis, government is not the solution to the problem. Government is the problem," Rainwater said. "Those words were said 40 years ago by President Ronald Reagan, and they have never been more applicable to the state of Indiana than they are today."

Without naming Holcomb, he criticized the "one man" who had decided which businesses were deemed essential in Indiana when the governor ordered some businesses to close back in March and then later limited their capacity. 

"We need self rule again in Indiana," Rainwater said. "I intend to bring your freedoms back to you and let you do as you desire as long as you don’t hurt somebody else or take their stuff."

It was a message that resonated with people in the crowd. Some were longtime Libertarian voters, but others were new converts or undecided in the gubernatorial race. 

Leslie Dillman, 31, said she will be voting Libertarian for the first time in a presidential election and is considering Rainwater in the gubernatorial election. The main reason is because of the restrictions imposed by Holcomb on businesses during the pandemic, she said.  

"I think after all the COVID lockdowns, that kind of made me think," Dillman said, "just because so many people I knew were affected by the lockdowns."

Just last week, Holcomb moved forward with his plans to reopen the state, giving restaurants, gyms and bars the green light to operate at full capacity, but Dillman argued it was too late. Holcomb also continued his mask mandate, another point of contention with some Libertarians, and a move that was praised by others. 

"The numbers continue to track in the right direction," Holcomb said. "We have been very steady ... very methodical about this, very data-driven, and that's how we will continue to be."

As of Sunday morning, there have been 117,450 coronavirus cases in Indiana, with the number of those who test positive each day remaining steady, not dropping, since July. 

Hoosiers will be able to vote for the president and governor on Election Day, Nov. 3. To register to vote or check voting status, go to Indianavoters.in.gov. The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 5.

A very good rally, and some nice speeches.

[swordfish]

K....

[DanteEstonia]

13 hours ago, Muda69 said:

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2020/09/28/presidential-election-libertarian-jo-jorgensen-campaign-westfield/3530950001/

A very good rally, and some nice speeches.

Did you attend?

[psaboy]

It's too bad that these type of candidates have very unlikely chance of winning. More so on national stage than a state level, just not a fan of the choices for President and not a lover of Holcomb. I may have to go Woody or Rainwater,

[Muda69]

10 hours ago, DanteEstonia said:

Did you attend?

Yes, I did.  It was a relatively short drive and the event only lasted an hour or so.

 

[DanteEstonia]

1 hour ago, Muda69 said:

Yes, I did.  It was a relatively short drive and the event only lasted an hour or so.

Thank you for participating; campaigns always love those who are willing to show up.

[TheStatGuy]

18 hours ago, psaboy said:

It's too bad that these type of candidates have very unlikely chance of winning. More so on national stage than a state level, just not a fan of the choices for President and not a lover of Holcomb. I may have to go Woody or Rainwater,

I see a lot of rainwater signs in pulaski county. I'm hoping he takes enough votes away from Holcomb and Myers slides in. Holcomb didn't win by a huge margin last time. 

[Coach Nowlin]

I SEE @Muda69 

Blue Sign holder in left arm:   Head cut off!!!