By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — Political victories for Democrats in Indiana are historically few and far between, but Tuesday’s massive blue wave across the country was reason to celebrate for Brian Smith, the Democratic Party chair for Indiana’s Second Congressional District.
Smith was emphatic about the historic results that many directly connect to President Donald Trump.
“Just so encouraging to see the complete repudiation of MAGA all across the United States,” Smith said.
By the end of Tuesday night, Democrats took control of the U.S. House and Senate. At the same time, Indiana Democrats broke the GOP majority by flipping 16 seats in the House.
They also picked up two state offices — Secretary of State and State Comptroller — and picked up a congressional seat.
News Now Warsaw talked with Smith and Kosciusko County GOP Chair Mike Ragan following Tuesday’s elections.
Both were in unison in saying the war in Iran and inflated gas prices were issues that weighed heavily for voters.
Smith blamed President Trump for much of what happened in the midterms in Indiana and the nation, while Ragan was less direct.
Ragan mentioned the timing of the war and the belief that the nuclear threat in Iran had to be removed.
“You gotta do what you have to do while it’s important to do it,” Ragan said. “I’m not second-guessing him, I’m just saying it might have been a factor.”
Electoral pickups in Indiana, Smith said, were a result of dislike for property tax reform efforts led by Republicans.
“SB1 and its disastrous effects on schools, local government services absolutely also played a role in the large losses that Republicans had in the state Senate and the state House,” Smith said.
Both agreed that President Trump’s redistricting efforts backfired in Indiana.
Smith specifically pointed to the victory by Democrat Gabrianna Gratzol over Brian Schmutzler, who primaried Republican incumbent Linda Rogers in State Senate District 11.
Rogers’s loss came after she voted against redistricting the state’s Congressional map at the urging of Trump.
The district includes northern portions of St. Joseph and Elkhart counties.
Smith said Grotzel’s blue-collar roots are a good fit for the district.
“Working-class mother, factory worker … someone who knows what it’s like to work a second or a third shift and how hard it is to find daycare for parents who work off-shifts,” Smith said. “And she’s going to take that to the state legislature. And she’s going to have a say in child care policy.”
Smith said the mid-cycle redistricting equated to cheating and said voters were “disgusted.”
Ragan was just as succinct.
“Obviously, the redistricting was not a popular thing,” Ragan said.
Smith said he hopes the election results serve as a wake-up call for Trump and that he tries to work with Democrats.
Ragan’s new outlook for the party is simple.
“We need to get our act together and respond according to what the citizenry wants,” Ragan said. “We’re capable of doing that, and hopefully we do.”
