Colwell: An unexpected matchup in Indiana's 2nd District
Paul Steury, the Democratic nominee for Congress in Indiana’s 2nd District, a district rated as “safe Republican,” doesn’t have much name recognition. And among those who have seen the name, many don’t know how to pronounce it.
It’s pronounced “Stir-e.”
He is opposing Rudy Yakym, selected as the Republican nominee after the tragic death of Jackie Walorski.
Yakym also lacks high name recognition in the 11 counties of the sprawling district. But he gained a lot of attention in defeating 11 other candidates in a spirited Republican caucus to become the party nominee for filling the short remainder of Walorski’s term and for a new two-year term.
Steury won the Democratic nomination for the full term unopposed in the May primary. He won the special election nomination unopposed at a Democratic caucus. Not a lot of attention for winning unopposed.
Steury, 59, a former Goshen College assistant professor and teacher in an Elkhart alternative high school, knew he was in a tough race against Walorski, who had been elected to five terms, winning by a landslide the last time. He says he knew she was “a superstar,” recognized throughout the district. At the July 1 finance reporting deadline, she had $1.5 million in campaign cash on hand. Steury reported $21,272.
Now, Steury says, with no incumbent in the race, “this is basically an open seat. It puts me on a level playing field.”
Level? Well, redistricting still leaves the 2nd strongly Republican. The Walorski campaign team still will be involved. How much of that $1.5 million cash on hand that Yakym could and perhaps would receive is uncertain. No matter, Yakym is sure to have more funding. While money isn’t everything, it’s important in getting a message out in the long stretch of the district.
Some Democrats lament that a nominee with better name recognition and more impressive political credentials wasn’t recruited for the May primary. But better-known Democrats, wanting no part of a seemingly hopeless race against Walorski, chose not to run. That’s not Steury’s fault. He ran, got the nomination and says he is determined to do the best that he can − to win.
In addition to finding he’s in an “open seat” race, Steury gains confidence from revision of those early-in-the-year forecasts of a red wave sweeping away Democratic House candidates.
The two main reasons for new Democratic optimism and enhanced chances are voter reaction to the banning of almost all abortions in Indiana and other states after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade and the continued troubles keeping Donald Trump in the spotlight.
Steury say he is on the right side in both cases.
He is “pro-choice,” believing that abortion should not be a “governmental decision” but a personal choice involving “privacy rights and respect of women.”
Of Trump, he says, “I believe laws were broken” and that Trump clearly lost the election.
Yakym is “pro-life” and has supported Trump.
Walorski also was “pro-life” and supported Trump and was doing well in the conservative 2nd District.
Steury says he will stress issues of education, fair labor practices, environmental priorities (a top concern) and health care.
He hopes to spell out his views on those and other issues in a series of debates. Yakym, regarded as the front-runner, would find no advantage in a whole series of debates. There will be a lot of negotiating by the campaigns before any debate agreements are reached.
Yakym, 38, looks ahead to a long congressional career. He could start with more seniority than other freshmen by winning the special election for the remainder of Walorski’s term and being sworn in immediately.
You never know for sure what will happen in politics, in life.
Who would have thought a year ago about a Yakym vs. Steury congressional race?
Jack Colwell is a columnist for The Tribune. Write to him in care of The Tribune or by email at jcolwell@comcast.net.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: The unexpected matchup for Congress in Indiana's 2nd District
