Political Ads, Pivot

     There's a slight pivot in some local political advertising, with a few candidates dropping the trans/immigrant/fentnyl fear-mongering in favor of talking about what a great state Indiana is and how they plan to make it even better.  In the Governor's race, Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch only recently started running television ads that are pretty much the old normal-Republican: positive, socially and fiscally conservative, stressing continuity.

     Other candidates have gone another way.  Eric Doden had moved from "my grandpappy was a preacher" to scare-stories about the border and fentanyl, but now he's found a worse enemy: our current junior U. S. Senator, Mike Braun.  It is easy to forget, but early on, the Senator had toyed with notions that leaned a bit centrist -- including some reforms to qualified immunity.   That won him mentions and a hostile interview in 2020 by Tucker Carlson, which has proven a fertile resource for shocking pull quotes that now headline Mr. Doden's ads.  Viewers are left with the impression the hard-Right Senator is out to defund the police, if not worse.  Meanwhile, Sen. Braun's commercials laud the virtues of the hardworking men (and women) of law enforcement and express his deep and apparently unconditional support of them.  Sometimes one ad will run right after the other.  I'm not sure which is more disorienting, Mr. Doden's wild mood swings or Sen. Braun's unplanned turn in the role of Harvey Dent.

     Elsewhere, Chuck Goodrich is looking to move up from the State Legislature and unseat U. S. Representative Victoria Spartz in the 5th District, and he's sticking to the fear-and-loathing/strong leadership model, complete with below chin-level camera angles.  Perennial candidate Jefferson Shreeve is running much the same play in the 6th District, though he has finally retired his red, white and black campaign livery for red, white and a touch of blue.  It's all "bold leader/stop the alien hordes" stuff, which still plays a bit off to my ear, not quite the kind of things I heard from a GOP dominated by WW II veterans and Cold Warriors while I was growing up.  I'm not looking for a Siegfried or a Caesar; I'd rather have Just Some Guy (or Gal), not notably stupid (even slightly glib), well-informed on current events, skilled in the give and take of legislative work and willing to put in long hours at it.  Will I get that from any of today's Republicans?  Probably not.

     The way politics is being played at present amounts to a suicide pact.  Congress keeps flinching at the last minute but some of them are getting far too comfortable with the idea.
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     In other news, the ants are back in my kitchen.  So much for the last blueberry muffin, which they had swarmed alarmingly.  Now all the snack foods and sugar will live in large zip-seal plastic bags for the duration, or until we stop 'em.  There's usually slight traffic all summer, but if we're careful, they don't find much and mostly just send scouts.  If only candidate craziness was as easy to get under control!