Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Wednesday, August 1, 2018
(INDIANAPOLIS) - If a Republican volunteer called you or knocked on your door over the past week, you’re not alone. Over the past week, volunteers across Indiana not only surpassed 500,000 voter contacts during the 2018 cycle, they continued to outpace Indiana Democrats by contacting nearly 90,000 additional voters.
Volunteers all across the Hoosier State reached out to friends and neighbors during this year's Republican National Week of Action, the party's largest and most involved voter contact effort to date in the 2018 cycle. The week of events is designed to not only grow the party's volunteer base, but also identify voters who can be motivated to head to the polls in November.
"The past week's events were a huge success, designed to mobilize our volunteers across the state in a large, coordinated push not unlike what we're going to do in October and November," said Michael Joyce, the RNC's Indiana and Michigan Communications Director. "The Republican National Committee and Indiana Republican Party are organized and ready to defy history in November."
Democrats continue to crow about a "blue wave," but Republicans haven't been standing still. The GOP has historic fundraising numbers and major technological investments in data and field operations on their side. Party officials have stated that they plan to utilize $250 million in funding for ground operations in the 2018 midterm cycle.
"Republicans from across the country are looking to us in Indiana to be the red wall to stop Democrats' supposed 'blue wave' in November," said Kyle Hupfer, chairman of the Indiana Republican Party. "And that's why this year we have a ground game that is unprecedented in Indiana for both its scope and coordination. By defeating Democrat Joe Donnelly and sending in Mike Braun, Hoosiers will make sure that the U.S. Senate remains in Republican hands -- preventing obstructionist Democrats from blocking the real progress we're now seeing in Washington under the leadership of President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence."
Jobs and the economy were the primary issues on voters' minds, according to volunteers returning from the field. Last Friday's announcement of booming 4.2 percent economic growth -- in addition to a large state budget surplus and Governor Holcomb's Next Level agenda -- had Hoosiers who came to the door pleased with the state's economic progress.
"We have people on the ground in more than two dozen states - 500 so far, more than we've ever had at this point in any cycle," Joyce explained. "This year alone in Indiana we have trained over 900 people through our intensive Republican Leadership Institute program."
Over the last six years, the national party has invested over $200 million in databases and campaign technology, which allows volunteers knocking doors to have up-to-date information about voting history in primaries and general elections, as well as household information.
"When then-Chairman Priebus said the RNC was creating a permanent ground game, he wasn't kidding," Joyce said. "Chairwoman [Ronna] McDaniel has kept the ball rolling, and we've got the resources we need to win. Chairwoman McDaniel likes to talk about 'defying history,' and that's exactly what we're going to do. Our entire operation this year recognizes one simple fact -- good things don't come to those who wait. Good things come to those who work their tails off. And that's exactly what Indiana Republicans are doing."
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