A Democratic presidential candidate hasn’t won in Indiana since 1964, when Lyndon Johnson defeated Barry Goldwater.
Campaign officials for Barack Obama are hoping to change that.
The Obama campaign has named rural county captains in all 92 Indiana counties to help the Illinois senator defeat Republican John McCain for the presidency.
Mary Blue, 74, the captain in Carroll County, has been involved in Democratic Party politics for many years.
Her husband was a precinct committeemen.
“Our daughter was involved with the Obama campaign in Iowa,” Blue said. “She told me I should be involved because of his organization and the young people being involved.”
Blue and her husband have been involved in the Carroll County farming community since 1953.
“I like him because he is from the Midwest,” she said, “he is committed to rural America and the needs and problems.”
Blue said the Obama campaign contacted her about being a county captain.
“I’ve been wearing an Obama shirt since the Iowa campaign,” she said.
Blue said her job is to listen to local residents, pass on information about the campaign and be a point of contact. She will relay concerns and ideas from local residents to the campaign staff.
“They will know someone is listening,” she said of her role. “People need to know that someone cares about the needs of rural America.”
Blue said she is optimistic that Obama can carry the state of Indiana in the November election.
“People are eager to see a change,” she said. “We can’t let our prejudices and former ideas stand in our way.”
At the other end of the spectrum is Sonja Burton, 34, the captain for Tipton County. It is Burton’s first time involved in a political campaign.
Burton signed up and talked to people when Obama came to Kokomo and indicated she would work as a volunteer.
“I was surprised,” she said, when the campaign office contacted her.
Burton said she considered both Clinton and Obama and realized that the Illinois senator represented the new politics of change.
“I think he has a chance to win in Indiana,” she said. “People are concerned about the way things are going.”
Ken de la Bastide can be reached at (765) 454-8580 or via e-mail at ken.delabastide@kokomotribune.com
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