12 Hours 12 Counties
Twelve hours to visit twelve counties. That was the plan for Primary Day and I’m happy to say that thanks to a dedicated staff we were successful. My wife, Sharon, traveled with me, making the day even more enjoyable.
We started the day talking with voters in Lawrence County before the sun came up. St. John the Apostle Catholic Church in Bloomington was our next stop. After that it was on to Martinsville, Greenwood, Plainfield, and Avon. By then it was clear that the voter turnout was going to be huge on this beautiful spring day in Indiana.
Shortly before lunch we made it to the Westside of Indianapolis. Many people do not realize that a portion of Marion County is in the 4th District, including parts of Decatur, Wayne, and Pike Townships. Voters in these areas deserve much more attention than they have received in the past.
Sharon and I made it to Boone County before noon and stopped at the Zionsville Town Hall. To stay on schedule we had to eat on the run as we continued to Crawfordsville and then to the Fire Station in Veedersburg.
At Suncrest Elementary School in Frankfort we arrived just as the kids were running out to the buses. We met with members of the local press and talked with voters making their way to the poll. Here again we received the report that turnout was high. I’ll confess I was beginning to hope for big numbers. From Clinton County we moved on to the 4H Fair Grounds in Lafayette.
Confirming the kind of attention Indiana’s Primary was getting around the world, we talked with two French reporters in Lafayette. It was also a treat to speak with Lars, a native of Denmark, who was casting his first ballot as a U.S. citizen.
Finally we reached the end of our twelve county trek. At the White County Building in Monticello we greeted voters and discussed our campaign until the polls closed at 6PM.
It was a marvelous day, very satisfying, even before we learned of the incredible results. Getting past party politics is important to me so it was encouraging to talk to Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who were voting for new leadership. My expectations were exceeded as the numbers kept adding up. It wasn’t long before we knew we had gotten almost twice the number of votes of the incumbent.
Early on Wednesday morning we sent out a press release announcing that I had outpaced my fall opponent. At this point I believe more strongly than ever that we, working together, will win in November.
I am deeply grateful for all everyone has done to get us this far and look forward to these next six months with excitement and confidence.
Pictured left to right are Nels, long time friend Dorris Morris, and Sharon Ackerson, Nels’ wife. 
