Most Republican County in Indiana Delivers Obama Victory

For the first time in 44 years, the state of Indiana voted for a Democrat for President. While we know about the massive coordinated Obama campaign volunteer effort, it is essential to mention the strong and active Republicans for Obama movement in Indiana. These RFOs, as they're called [full disclosure: I'm one of them], received local, national and international attention, including the New York Times, XM Radio, coverage in Brazil and the 100 million Japan Broadcasting Station viewers worldwide.

These RFOs were supported by the Obama campaign, and, through meetings, emails, telephone calls, blogs, and one-on-one discussions, created an impressive impact in Indiana. Indianapolis NBC affiliate, WTHR, writes:

"Obama got some help from Republicans in his Indiana win. More than a third of Indiana voters said they consider themselves Republicans, and a strong majority of them voted for McCain. But the percentage of self-described Republican voters supporting McCain was smaller than the number who voted for President Bush in 2004."

I live in Hamilton County, known to be the most Republican county in Indiana, and one of the richest counties in the United States. At the polls, there were over a dozen positions with no Democratic candidate even on the ballot. On Election Day, Hamilton County voted almost straight Republican. In fact, Barack Obama lost Hamilton County. But that does not mean Hamilton County did not play a major role in Obama winning Indiana.

According to the official election statistics:

129,256 people voted in Hamilton County on Election Day.

38.44%, or 49,691, voted for Obama.

In 2004, Hamilton County gave Kerry only 25.2% of the vote.

So, the difference between what Kerry and Obama received is 13.24%, or an extra 17,113 Hamilton County votes went to Obama compared to the Kerry vote percentage.

Obama won Indiana by 22,986 votes.

That means about 75% of the reason for Obama winning Indiana was from Hamilton County voters.

In September, WTHR covered one of our Republicans for Obama meetings. They interviewed me, then went to an exclusive golf course clubhouse to interview the Hamilton County Republican Party Chairman, Charlie White. The following quotes are prescient of the change that was coming:

"Anyone alleged Republican who is for Obama, is either not a Republican, but they are into more form than substance," says White, said: "If you can fit 'em in a couple of mini-vans, its not a movement."

But Republicans for Obama say the GOP supporters may be surprised come November 4th, "it's going to be a lot more than a mini-van," says Lasker.

Even if only 10% of the 17,000 voters in Hamilton County who helped tip the scales towards Obama were Republican, I would conclude that 1,700 people would have a difficult time fitting into a couple of even the largest Hamilton County soccer mom's mini-vans.

The lesson learned is simple. One man joining together with others for a cause can create a ripple, that makes a change, that tips a state, that tips an election, and changes the world. As President-Elect Obama said in his acceptance speech, "And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can."

Comments

[Piatt]

Good on all of you. Thanks.

[snesich]

Thanks, Chuck!

You did all Americans a great service and you've also proved that the good people of Indiana, and Ohio, and Florida and North Carolina aren't all that different from the good people of New York, California, Massachusetts, Washington State or Maryland.

And now, we all pitch in together to support President Obama and chart a new path for America!

[Hoosierbrad]

I live in Jay County, Indiana. When our election results came in at about 9 P.M. and I learned that McCain had only carried our county by a 52 to 48 margin, I realized that Obama would carry Indiana and would be our next president. This is the ONLY election ( I am 53 years old) where I have voted for an elector who would actually vote for a Democratic candidate for President and I can now live the rest of my life a happier man.

[chewie2008]

This shows again how effective the Obama-Campaign was.Especially the workers on the ground that made this possible.

[longtimewatcher]

Vigo County went for Bush in 2004 by over 2500 votes, but flipped to Obama by almost 7,000. Add these 9,500 to your Hamilton County totals and you seem to have the entire margin. There is an error in method here. Can you see it? Does anyone care? I don't.

[Chuck Lasker - Huffpost Blogger]

No error in method! I'm plugging my ears - Na Na Na Na Na!!

:)

[395spoons]

I started following what was going on with Republicans for Obama during the summer and it gave me hope. Thank you so much. YES YOU DID!

[Chuck Lasker - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks. As Susan Eisenhower recently said in her blog, we Republicans for Obama influenced more than just other Republicans:

"The support of Republicans played a big role in the Obama victory, quite aside from their statistical contribution to the vote count. These high level Republican endorsements demonstrated the fragility of McCain"s candidacy and gave psychological credence to the claim that Obama would be able to unite the nation."

http://www.susaneisenhower.com/

[metalpipe]

I got friends in Indiana. Good people. I am so proud of you guys. Thanks for your support from all us Dem techies in Silicon Valley.

[Chuck Lasker - Huffpost Blogger]

I'm from New York originally, been in Indiana for 24 years. Yes, very good people here. I think a big part of why Obama won Indiana is that good people reject bad campaigning, and the McCain campaign here was straight-out dirty and disgusting. It backfired everywhere, but the GOP leadership didn't learn. Heck, they're using the same techniques that failed in the Georgian Senate runoff race! Sigh.

[Goodcarver]

My county (Shelby) did not contribute to the Obama win, I'm sorry to say. I did, though. I am still really amazed that the State of Indiana was counted in his final victory. I think an incredible conundrum occured: Obama won as did Governor Daniels!

[dailyprophet]

Chuck - great to come across you here! We had fun with ghostwriters, didn't we? I was especially thrilled about the win in Indiana, because that was one of the states we worked very hard to get our message out to. Great work, and I hope to run into you again, virtually speaking, every once in a while.

[Chuck Lasker - Huffpost Blogger]

Ghostwriters was a great idea. I wish we'd started 6 months earlier. I wrote about it here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chuck-lasker/both-campaigns-use-ghost_b_129270.html

You can find me at the following:

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/chucklasker

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/doubleplus

FaceBook: http://profile.to/chucklasker/

[Jaxy]

Don't forget, the entire 'awareness of Obama movement started in Iowa. Thank you kindly, Iowans!

[Chuck Lasker - Huffpost Blogger]

Obama's success in Iowa truly opened the country's eyes to the possibility of an Obama win. Y'all were lucky, though, getting Barack Obama in your state for so long, in teeny meetings personally meeting with him. I got to shake his hand once, and that was across a bunch of people. It was such a telling thing that Iowans recognized his progressive nature and started it all.

[wrylass]

Eight years ago, I thought I was a Republican too ;) Now I volunteer for the Democratic Party.

[Chuck Lasker - Huffpost Blogger]

Check out my mini-manifesto about the Republican Party here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chuck-lasker/moderate-republicans-unha_b_138696.html

If you have past Republican ideals, you might want to help either reform the GOP or break off with me and start a truly grassroots party.

[courageunderfire]

Thank you Indiana! I truly believe that you will not be let down and that Barack Obama will be one of the greatest Presidents in US. history.

[HateLieCheatKillRepubWay]

Thank you Republicans for Obama; we couldn't have done it without you! Barack Obama promised to be President to all Americans, and I believe that he will act on his promise.

[Chuck Lasker - Huffpost Blogger]

I've been convinced that President Elect Obama would put partisanship aside since reading his book, The Audacity of Hope. He is a renaissance man, and I believe he will transform politics forever in this country with his goal-oriented approach. Republicans who did NOT vote for him simply do not know who he is.

[Georgia1992]

Thank you Indiana and everyone who voted to put Senator Obama in the highest office of the USA.

[Zoolie]

A lot of areas and groups are claiming credit for putting Obama over the top, but the credit has to go to ALL who supported him. I think it's wonderful that it took such a diverse group working together to make it happen. We've all won.

[Chuck Lasker - Huffpost Blogger]

No doubt, Zoolie. No one group or area did it all. This was the first truly grassroots campaign made of millions and millions of volunteers and supporters. What an amazing thing President Elect Obama accomplished. I hope he keeps the network going to help push his agenda.