U.S. Congress - Indiana's 4th District
Incumbent: Steve Buyer (R)
Challenger: Nels Ackerson (D)
The 4th district is an interesting slice of western/central Indiana. It includes Lafayette, Purdue University, the west suburbs of Indianapolis, and moves south past Bloomington (but it does not contain Bloomington). Small parts of south and west Indianapolis are also included; as is Greenwood, the largest south suburb of Indy.
Steve Buyer is a pretty straightforward, Indiana-style Republican. He places a good deal of emphasis on helping veterans and is a Colonel in the Army Reserves. While I wouldn't describe him as "hawkish" (based on my limited research - I didn't read old speeches), his standing in the Reserves, service in the Gulf War and statements about making America safe raise a red flag to me. He did vote against the bailout.
Buyer is running against Nels Ackerson, a farmer cum lawyer who had an unsuccessful bid for Congress in 1980. He has an impressive resume featuring a J.D. from Harvard, where he also served as editor of the Harvard Law Review, and substantial international law experience. He talks a big game on cleaning up Washington (which is very good) and comes across as a fiscal conservative. He also dedicates space on his site to discuss property rights and the role of the Constitution. There are no over-the-top spending programs which he advocates, yet I'm skeptical that this is accurate. On almost every issue on his site, he mentions how he's consulted with relevant professionals - yet, there is not much detail as to how these consultations have led to a developed policy.
This is a close one...
Endorsement: Ackerson
Prediction: Ackerson (judged by the number of yard signs I've seen for him vs. Buyer!)
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