Boston, Mass. — Indiana has done what couldn’t have been predicted in 2004: It has gone Blue — and by so doing, the Hoosier state has broken its 44-year tradition of being a Red state, and helped put a Democrat in the White House.
But that’s not a total shock to some former Hoosiers living in the Boston area. For the three profiled here, it’s also a welcomed and happy occasion for their Midwest home.
The transplanted Hoosiers interviewed were:
• A business consultant who grew up in Greencastle, wound her way around the world, and landed on the eastern seaboard two decades ago, who believed Obama had a more-than-fair chance at taking Indiana;
n An early-career editor who believed predictions for an Obama win in Indiana were skewed by the various pockets of loyalties within the state, but who believed if Indiana turned Blue, she’d burst with pride;
n And an Emerson College freshman and moderate, whose Republican family had her leaning toward McCain but who voted Obama even though she felt McCain would win Indiana.
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Diane Darling, 49, a networking consultant and author in Cambridge, believed the Hoosier state would go to Obama, not so much for Obama or the Democrats, but because Indiana would’ve chosen to evict the GOP based on well-publicized “screw-ups.” And the mere presence of Obama signs in a Red state “says more to me about how the Republicans have lost their way.”
Darling grew up in Greencastle from 1967 to 1981; her father, Frank C. Darling, was chairman of political science at DePauw University.
Because of her parents, Darling believed she had an edge (that of education) that made her more accepting of a wide range of ideas and cultures: In her family, she said discussion was more important than thought bullying.
The philosophy was that “You talked about ideas and issues, but you would never try to tell somebody how to think, or especially, how to vote,” she said. “You learned very quickly to appreciate the differences in one another, and at the end of the day, you’re all just people.” Indeed, she’s not trying to sway, nor be swayed — she declined to say how she would vote.
She said that in the state where only pockets of multi-culturalism exists (Bloomington being one), she doesn’t think it strange that one cult of personality would prevail strongly.
After all, it’s the same in more liberal-leaning areas, such as Cambridge, known as the “The World’s Most Opinionated Zip Code.”
“When you’re living in Cambridge, you get into ‘group think,’ and sometimes I think we need a die-hard Republican in our group’ to offer another opinion.”
• • •
Morgen Murphy, 28, is a multi-media editor for a textbook company; she moved from her lifelong hometown of Fishers eight years ago and lives in Somerville (adjacent to Cambridge).
For her, the possibility that Indiana would go blue wasn’t straightforward. “My hopes are that it will turn Blue,” she said, but the NPR reports she has heard claiming Obama was pushing out the old guard were dampened by her mother’s reports that the old guard was still very much alive.
“From talking to her, she is not as confident,” saying her parents now live in downtown Indy where Obama support is stronger than in other reaches of the state. But, her parents still have Republican friends whose opinions and fervor are very strong.
“I love Indiana, and although I’ve lived in Boston most of my adult life, still people ask me where I’m from and it would be so exciting” to tell people Obama won the Hoosier state, Murphy said. “It’s not like Ohio, where it could go either way. For Indiana, it’s a really big deal.”
• • •
Jacquie Exline, the daughter of Jim and Teresa Exline of Sullivan, is 19 and a freshman at Emerson College. She believed on Election Day that Obama would win the presidency but that McCain would have taken Indiana.
Mostly, she said, because that’s just tradition. Indeed, she comes from a multi-generational family of Republicans. “We all respect McCain for what he has done,” but adds that her parents also “really respect Obama.”
The communications major felt positively about both candidates for their strengths — McCain for his veteran status and Obama for his fresh ideas and education — but ultimately, she voted for Obama, even though her family back home will likely vote McCain.
But a second key factor played into her Obama vote, she added: Palin, and the belief that the governor wasn’t strong enough to be president. “I’ve heard she’s one of the best governors Alaska has had,” but she doesn’t agree with Palin’s politics nor does she think Palin is experienced enough to be president if called upon.
“I don’t think that the Average Joe can run for president, and she’s trying to hit home with that appeal.”
Liz Carver is a freelance writing consultant living in Cambridge, Mass. She is a former reporter for the Tribune-Star.
Election 2008
November 5, 2008
Indiana transplants watch from east coast
- Election 2008
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Vigo County election results
More than 44,000 ballots were cast Tuesday of the nearly 80,000 registered voters, giving Vigo County a 55.76 percent voter turnout. Voters who cast provisional ballots have until noon Nov. 14 to show proper identification in the clerk’s office. Members of the Election Board will certify the results by the end of Nov. 14.
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Obama triumphs, will be first black U.S. president
Barack Obama swept to victory as the nation’s first black president Tuesday night in an electoral college landslide that overcame racial barriers as old as America itself. “Change has come,” he told a huge throng of jubilant supporters.
- Ellsworth downs Goode in District 8 In a strong Democratic election year, U.S. Rep. Brad Ellsworth was re-elected Tuesday to a second term as the 8th District congressman representing southwestern and western Indiana.
- House District 44: Former Greencastle major wins A former Greencastle mayor will head off to the Statehouse come January, and she said Tuesday night she’s ready to go.
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YOUTH VOTE: Sarah Scott students elect Obama, Daniels
Tribune-Star
Students and staff at Sarah Scott Middle School voted to make Barack Obama president and Mitch Daniels governor during a mock election Tuesday. - Vigo picks presidential winner again Vigo County voters chose Democrat Sen. Barack Obama as president, maintaining its status as a “bellwether” county, picking the winner in every presidential election since 1892 with only two exceptions.
- Harrison Township opts to keep assessor Voters in eight precincts in Harrison Township opted to retain a township assessor under a referendum vote on Tuesday’s election ballot. That’s was good news to Mick Love, who will retain his elected seat as Harrison Township assessor. The final tally on Public Question No. 1 was 6,587 for a “yes,” which would remove the office, to 9,506 for “no” which would retain the office.
- House District 46: Tincher pulls out win The race between Democrat incumbent Rep. Vern Tincher and Republican challenger Bob Heaton for the Indiana House District 46 seat went down to the wire Tuesday night, with Tincher pulling out a win.
- Republican Daniels wins 2nd term as Indiana governor Republican Mitch Daniels defeated former Democratic congresswoman Jill Long Thompson on Tuesday to win a second term as governor, but he may need a supply of olive branches to advance his agenda if Democrats retain control of the Indiana House.
- House District 45: Borders wins close race The Indiana House District 45 race between incumbent Republican Bruce Borders and Democrat Rick Marshall was too close to call for much of the evening Tuesday, with the final outcome apparent near midnight.
- House District 43: Kersey remains in seat Rep. Clyde Kersey, D-Terre Haute, will remain in the Indiana General Assembly for another two years, as the 12-year incumbent defeated Republican challenger Ryan Cummins for the House District 43 seat.
- Clay County's turnout one for record books Clay County’s voter turnout was one for the record books, officials said Tuesday evening.
- Parke County incumbents retain their seats Parke County incumbents retained their seats in Tuesday’s election. Republican County At-large Councilmen Dale Gerrish and John Pratt will be joined by fellow Republican J.B. Butler, a newcomer who received more votes than Gerrish and Pratt. The three GOP candidates won over the three Democrats in that race.
- Nearly 64 percent of registered Vermillion voters cast ballots Vermillion County voters turned out in big numbers Tuesday to hand victories to Democrats up and down the ballot. Nearly 64 percent of registered voters turned out in the mostly rural county, which includes the towns of Clinton and Newport.
- Sullivan County votes Repbulican in national election For the second time in its traditionally Democratic history, Sullivan County voted Republican in the national election. Overall, Democrats saw unexpected upsets, incumbent Republicans lost a few offices, and voter turnout here was exceptionally high, as expected.
- Indiana State students await impact of their votes Ashley Roce sat in the Cunningham Memorial Library eating pizza with her friends, waiting to see the impact of her first vote in a presidential election.
- Indiana transplants watch from east coast Indiana has done what couldn’t have been predicted in 2004: It has gone Blue — and by so doing, the Hoosier state has broken its 44-year tradition of being a Red state, and helped put a Democrat in the White House.
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Voter turnout in Clark County, Ill., highest it's ever been
Voter turnout in Clark County, Ill., was the largest it has ever been, but it wasn’t as high as County Clerk Bill Downey had hoped for.
- Presidential election turnout down in Edgar County Despite an increase in registered voters for Tuesday’s election, turnout was lower than the last presidential election in Edgar County, Ill.
- Incumbents easily win school board seats Three Vigo County School Board incumbents readily won re-election Tuesday. In District 1, Mel Burks and Jackie Lower retained their seats, defeating Larry Faulkner. In unofficial results, Lower had 24,321 votes, Burks, 19,253, and Faulkner, 11,383.
- Democratic Commissioner Mason gets another four years Vigo County voters on Tuesday returned Democratic Commissioner Paul Mason for an additional four-year term as one of the county’s top executive officials.
- Rader wins Vigo judge Superior Court Divisioin 5 The winner of Vigo County judge for Superior Court Division 5 is Dr. Michael Rader. With 23,636 votes, or 56 percent, Rader defeated Republican challenger Dan Kelly, who earned 18,216 votes, or 44 percent. Totals are unofficial results from the Vigo County Election office.
- Allsup defeats Royer in Vigo Recorder race In a night that was friendly to Democrats, Nancy Allsup won the office of Vigo County Recorder, defeating Republican Bruce Royer. Allsup, with 26,486 votes, or 65 percent, celebrated her victory Tuesday night with friends and family at the Paradise Pavilion in West Terre Haute.
- Mansard wins another term as Vigo County clerk Democrat Patricia “Pat” Mansard has won another term as Vigo County clerk. Mansard, who has served as county clerk for 20 years, was busily working Tuesday night to finish up election results, but she took a minute to savor her win.
- FINAL: VIGO COUNTY ELECTION 2008 RESULTS Final election night results from Vigo County
- FINAL: VERMILLION COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS 2008 Election results from Vermillion County
- FINAL: CLAY COUNTY ELECTION 2008 RESULTS Election results from across Clay County
- FINAL: PARKE COUNTY ELECTION 2008 RESULTS Election results from Parke County
- FINAL: SULLIVAN COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS 2008 Results from Sullivan County
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NEW: Vigo County’s election record cited by Karl Rove
Karl Rove, the man credited with orchestrating President George W. Bush’s two successful campaigns for the presidency, reportedly singled out Vigo County as a place to watch tonight when election returns start coming in.
- More Election 2008 Headlines
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