Lesley Stedman Weidenbener has written an article about Sam Schultz, challenger to Mike Sodrel in the Republican primary to represent Indiana’s 9th District. His campaign site is here.
He isn’t given much of a chance because he is running against an incumbent in a primary and because he doesn’t have much in the way of campaign money. According to the article, his main disagreement with Sodrel is on issues of trade.
Schultz said the biggest contrast is on trade. Sodrel has supported free-trade agreements, including one with Central America. At the time, Sodrel said the deal “will create U.S. jobs by opening these markets, solidify our status as the leading supplier of goods and services to the region, and make more than 80percent of U.S. exports duty-free.”
But Schultz said such agreements aren’t good for the United States.
“Free trade is anything but free or fair,” he said. “It’s for big businesses and multinational corporations. They put profit ahead of the public good.”
This highlights one rift in the Republican party – the more supply side, corporate friendly side versus the more nativist, blue collar side. Not that there is anything to suggest the rift is overly wide in the 9th District. It would probably take the proverbial dead girl or live boy in Mr. Sodrel’s bed to give Mr. Schultz a real shot at unseating the incumbent. Nevertheless, his candidacy gives the GOP the opportunity to at least have the discussion on such issues, so it’s not a waste of time even if his chances of winning are slim.
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