Barb Berggoetz and Tony Cook, writing for the Indy Star, report that two Republican nominations for House seats were taken from incumbents by more socially conservative challengers. Rebecca Kubacki of Syracuse was defeated by Curt Nisly. In Columbia City, Kathy Heuer was defeated by Christopher Judy.
In both cases, the report says, the incumbent votes in favor of marriage equality and against SJR 3 was a major factor. With respect to the Kubacki/Nisly race, at least, another issue was Kubacki’s support of additional regulations at daycares in Indiana. Those additional regulations were prompted over concern about lax oversight having lead to cases of abuse and neglect of children at daycare. Some church groups who run daycares bristle at the prospect of such oversight.
Regardless of the defeat, Kubacki says that she wouldn’t have changed her vote on either issue. With a line almost worthy of a stock movie villain, Curt Smith, president of Indiana Family Action, said, “If you want to thumb your nose at the pro-family groups, you do so at your own risk.”
We will get the kind of government we deserve.
When 10 people show up to vote in the primaries, it’s not a shock that the candidate who can scream the loudest about Threats to America can win.