06/10/2026
I am still decompressing from the Indiana Democratic Convention this past weekend.
Before attending, I was leaning toward Beau Bayh for a few reasons. I appreciated how clearly he communicated what he hoped to accomplish if elected, and I felt he had a strong path to success in November. He took the time to come to Goshen, meet with my daughter and me, and genuinely listen to our concerns and questions.
I was not able to hear Blythe Potter speak in person before the convention, but in a Zoom call she shared that she had previously been a Republican and that, if she could, she would run as an independent. That left me with questions about where her political home truly was and whether she was focused more on appealing broadly to voters than building the Democratic Party.
During the convention, I had the opportunity to hear both candidates speak in multiple settings. What stood out to me about Beau was his willingness to go beyond campaign talking points. He took the time to explain his goals in greater depth and connect them directly to how they would impact the people in the room. He stayed engaged, shook hands, and listened.
Blythe's appearances felt different. Many of her remarks focused on asking for support before running off to the next audience. I was also concerned by some of the online attacks directed at Beau during the campaign. In her final convention speech, her emphasis on ending nepotism felt less like a vision for the future and more like a final campaign push and personal attack. Then today, she posted online, "I am so over the actual trashing of people in this party." I found that statement difficult to reconcile with some of the messaging and attacks that have been part of this campaign. Throughout the race, I have noticed a strong focus on "I," "me," and "my" in her messaging, and that has been a red flag for me personally. I believe leadership should be focused first and foremost on serving the people and strengthening the team. Personally, I am so over people putting themselves first.
One reflection I wanted to share with those who are curious about the convention is that the event itself often felt designed to amplify the competition between the candidates. It was certainly memorable, but at times it also felt divisive. We had two qualified candidates with passionate supporters, and those competing voices became very loud throughout the weekend.
Thankfully, there were also speakers who reminded us of something important: we are all on the same team. While the primary may be over, the real work is still ahead.
I hope Blythe continues the important work she has done to engage voters and that she stays engaged herself. I hope Beau is successful at the polls in November, we could really use him in office. Most importantly, I hope all of us remember that elections are won when people show up.
No matter which candidate you supported during this race, we need you at the polls. We need your voice, your vote, and your commitment to building the future we want to see.
