Indiana

IT?S ELROD V. CARSON

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

By a healthy 66-percent vote total, freshman Republican State Representative Jon Elrod won his party’s nomination tonight to run for Congress in the March 11 special election to replace the late Julia Carson. Elrod will face Carson’s grandson, City-County Councilmember Andre Carson. Elrod beat three other challengers including Tom Rose, a part-time talk show host and youth advocate Gabrielle Campo.

Elrod says he will run on a platform of fiscal reform and constituent services. He says he wants to eliminate wasteful spending and make sure Hoosiers get a good return on the tax dollars they send to Washington.

In his campaign literature, Elrod cited a poll conducted by Democratic State Representative Carolene Mays showing him only three points behind Carson (41-38-21) in a race for the 7th Congressional District. Elrod says he is a proven candidate who can win in Democratic areas. He beat incumbent Democrat Ed Mahern by eight votes in 2006.

Elrod also says he has a local and national fundraiser which he says are crucial in a race he calls a sprint because of the short campaign period.

Elrod also won his party’s slating endorsement over the other candidates.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on January 13, 2008 (boomark / email).