Further illustrating that basic point is the major upset in Indiana, reported by the IndyStar.
Republican Greg Ballard pulled off what he and many others are calling “the biggest upset in Indiana political history” Tuesday, defeating two-term Democratic Mayor Bart Peterson.
Ballard, a 52-year-old retired lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps, didn’t have much money and didn’t have the support of party insiders or the business community. But he had something better: votes.
With votes from nearly all of the city’s 917 precincts tallied, Ballard was ahead by almost four percentage points. Peterson called him shortly before 10:30 p.m. to concede.
Only a few months ago, Peterson was expected to cruise to an easy re-election to a third term. But voter anger about rising taxes and crime blew massive change into the City-County Building, from the mayor’s office to the council, where Republicans also recaptured the majority they lost four years ago.
The repudiation by voters sent shock waves through Democrats who thought they had built an unbeatable majority in Marion County, and revived a county Republican Party that had been declared all but dead by some political insiders.
Tuesday night, a jubilant Ballard faced cheering, screaming Republicans to claim victory.
“This is really unbelievable. I told everybody for so long that six months ago I was the only one who believed. But now everybody believes. This is the classic, if not the ultimate, example of grass-roots politics.”
Moments later, Peterson, a smile plastered on his face, stepped onto a stage at the Westin Hotel to concede the party’s defeat to grim Democrats, many with tears in their eyes.
Now, he said, “it’s time to rally around the new mayor, and to give as much to this city as you always have. Because at the end of the day, it isn’t about one individual or one administration. It’s about the great city of Indianapolis.”
And, he concluded, “tomorrow, the sun will rise, and we’ll still be living in the greatest city in America.”
Ballard was massively outspent by Peterson in this election.
Ballard, though, had said throughout the campaign that the issues, and not money, would decide the race, and Tuesday night he was proved right.
“Money can’t buy me love,” he said. “but it doesn’t buy elections either.”
Mike McDaniel, a former Indiana Republican Party chairman, said the lack of financial support means Ballard “doesn’t owe anybody anything.”
Read the rest....
What matters are where the candidates stand on issues, their likability and what matters most of all is the votes.
Those that show up to the voting booths, those that get out from behind their computers and VOTE.
Money is great, yeah, but money cannot buy an election.
More on this stunning upset.
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