Indiana Senate race: Joe Donnelly climbs ahead of Mike Braun as Judge Kavanaugh is more crucial
As the midterm primaries heat up, a new poll shows the Indiana Senate may hinge on the actions of incumbent Joe Donnelly and his vote for or against President Trump’s SCOTUS pick: Brett Kavanaugh.
The new data puts Donnelly ahead 50.7% to Braun’s 38.6% with an undecided electorate of 10.8%.
In this poll, the support or rejection of Kavanaugh in the upcoming Senate confirmation hearings close that gap:
If Donnelly votes for Kavanaugh
Donnelly 39.4%
Braun 38.5%If Donnelly votes against Kavanugh
Donnelly 45.3%
Braun 38.0%
Congressman Joe Donnelly
Donnelly recently created a stir with Braun’s campaign and fellow Republicans as he videotaped his closed session time with Kavanaugh and released the footage to the press.
The Washington Examiner reported that “Shortly after the meeting Donnelly released footage, but no audio, of him rubbing shoulders with the nominee. His challenger, Republican Mike Braun, isn’t happy. Here is why: The Braun campaign thinks Donnelly secretly recorded the meeting so that Democrats would have material for their attack ads — a claim bolstered by the fact that Donnelly immediately released the b-roll footage online.”
Political backlash came from the GOP, claiming this was “creating footage for campaign ads borders on serious ethical issues.”
“We provided a photo and video from the official Senate office to Indiana TV stations,” Donnelly spokesman Michael Campbell tells me, “which several did use, for their segments about the senator’s meeting with Judge Kavanaugh.”
In 2016, President Trump won the Hoosier state over Hillary Clinton 56.5-36.5%.
Donnelly defeated Richard Mourdock in 2012 to join the Senate by a margin of 50% to 44%.
Once election day nears, it is likely that this will be a battleground area for Trump event to promote Braun’s campaign and encourage support for the challenger.
Real Clear Politics notes that in 2012 “Mourdock…made a controversial statement about rape shortly before the election, which went to Democrat Joe Donnelly. Donnelly is unlikely to be so lucky this time around. Republicans have a pair of well-qualified potential opponents in representatives Luke Messer and Todd Rokita. President Trump’s low job approval ratings will hurt whoever emerges from the primary, but the red nature of the state pretty much guarantee it will remain on our radar screen.”
