“Tuesday’s election results in Indianapolis and its surrounding suburbs demonstrate why the open seat in Indiana’s 5th Congressional District is on the Democratic battlefield in 2020,” said DCCC Spokesperson Courtney Rice.
By Kaitlin Lange | November 11, 2019
[…] After the Nov. 5 municipal elections, Democrats finally got some hard proof they were seeking across the 5th District: One Carmel Democrat and two Fishers Democrats were elected to their respective city councils for the first time since either entity became a city. Historically Republican Zionsville elected its first Democratic mayor.
Down in Marion County, Democrats are poised to take six seats, four of which at least partially sit in the 5th District.
All together Hamilton, Boone and Marion County voters made up 75% of 5th District voters in 2018, so how those groups vote matters. Historically, suburban Hamilton and Boone have voted reliably Republican.
Even up in rural Tipton, a Democrat won for the first time. And in Anderson, the Democratic incumbent mayor widened his margin of victory.
[…]
Within hours of [Congressman Susan Brooks’ retirement] announcement, election news analysis outlets such as Cook Political Report, Sabato’s Crystal Ball and Inside Elections with Nathan Gonzales changed her district from Solid Republican to Lean Republican in 2020.
[…]
Even early fundraising numbers have painted a rosy picture for Democrats in the 5th District: Democratic candidate Christina Hale raised more than all of the Republican 5th Congressional District candidates combined in the first quarter she announced she was running.
[…] Then came the 2019 municipal election.
“Nationally, there is no doubt Republicans have been performing worse in suburban and outer urban areas, traditionally their core base,” said Chad Kinsella, a Ball State political science professor. “That seems to have happened here.”
In addition to the historical wins, there were more contested Hamilton city council races this year than since at least the early 2000s. Democratic candidates like Hale see that as a positive.
“I think this week’s election clearly shows us all how much the district is changing,” Hale said. “History was made in Hamilton County, and it’s clear that the people here are looking for practical leadership. They don’t care so much whether you or a republican or democrat. They just want solutions.”
IN Focus [VIDEO]
Fox 59 | November 10, 2019
[Abdul-Hakim Shabazz, Editor/Publisher of Indy Politics] If I’m Christina Hale, I am the happiest Democrat in the State of Indiana right now, because there are more spots of blue popping up in the fifth congressional district. And by the way don’t forget that all of northern Marion County as well is in the fifth, so that’s good news for someone like a Christina Hale.
[…]
[Mike Murphy, Former GOP Lawmaker] First of all, Marion County, unmitigated disaster for the Republicans, as Elise said, everything north of Washington Street is now Democrat.
[…]
[Shabazz] …If you run the right type of Democrat with the right kind of moderate message, like said, if you continue to see these demographic trends it could be a lot more competitive than Republicans probably feel comfortable with, if they nominate the wrong person.
[Elise Shrock, Former Comms Director for the Indiana Senate Democrats] …District Five is in play and I think it looks better now than ever. I mean Christina has won…her legislative district was fully encompassed in CD 5, she has experience winning here, she’s got the name ID, I think it looks very favorable.
TheStateHouseFile.com: Patches of blue in the red sea
By Mary Beth Schneider | November 8, 2019
But in some key races in Indiana, we saw Republicans with no scandal, no big personal negatives lose in places where election victory was once assured simply by being Republican.
[…]
Republicans could once count on suburban areas as reliable vote gushers, the Old Faithfuls of election math. There is little to indicate that they’ll swing back by 2020. That could put in play the 5th Congressional District, where Republican Susan Brooks is retiring.