The Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE
May 07, 2008 12:55 am
—
The whirlwind of political activity in Indiana rarely gave Hoosier voters time to think during the past few weeks, with the final, exhausting surge to election day leaving many weary of the ride.
But, oh, what ride it was!
Indiana had not been in play as a presidential primary battleground for so long that most voters had no memory of the last time.
When the dust began to clear Tuesday night, it revealed a photo finish, with Sen. Hillary Clinton holding a narrow lead over fellow Sen. Barack Obama.
Because of the tight race, there will be no big winner. Of the 72 delegates available, Clinton, if she prevails, will get slightly more than half. Obama would get the rest. With Obama’s wider margin of victory in North Carolina, he finished the night with a net gain in delegate count as he inched closer to securing the Democratic nomination.
But the big winners in this primary election were Indiana voters. They finally had an opportunity to experience a hotly contested presidential campaign up close. Hoosiers had numerous chances to meet the candidates and see for themselves what they were about.
It’s impossible to know when Indiana might find itself in the national political spotlight again. If the current primary format stays in place, it could be awhile. Regardless, Hoosiers can be proud of the way they handled this unprecedented circumstance.
The court case that never ends
The heart-breaking death in 2002 of 2-year-old Alexis Williams at the hands of her day-care provider continued to cast a long shadow over the Vigo County political scene this primary season six years later. Division 5 Superior Court Judge Barbara Brugnaux, the judge who accepted the plea agreement that convicted day-care owner Courtenay Scott of reckless homicide but gave her no prison time, is the latest casualty.
Brugnaux was handily defeated by Democratic challenger Dr. Michael Rader with the Scott case dominating discussion and debate during the campaign. Rader will now face Republican Dan Kelly in the fall general election.
The question now is, will this tragic case continue to be used as a political weapon, or has the fallout run its course? We hope for the latter.
No more Watts
With the exception of Brugnaux, Vigo County incumbents fared well in the primary. Perhaps the best news on election night came in the Democratic race for county recorder, with Ray Watts, who recently pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in a sexual harassment criminal case brought against him by a former employee in his office, was soundly defeated in his efforts to be returned for another four-year term.
Watts finished a distant third in a six-candidate race won by Nancy Allsup. Despite his conviction and the embarrassment it brought to Vigo County government, Watts has persisted in his efforts to remain in office. Fortunately, voters settled that matter once and for all.
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