Archive for the 'Media Reference' Category
5-07-2008
Brian Peloza
Assistant Managing Editor
Nels Ackerson may be raising some eyebrows inside the Democratic Party.
In the most recent Federal Election Commission reports, Ackerson, a Democratic challenger for the U.S. Congressional District 4 seat, has raised more money than eight-term incumbent Republican Steve Buyer.
Ackerson had receipts of $308,603 through April 16; while Buyer had receipts of $301,131.
“No. 1, we’ve been working very hard, and I’ve been all over the district, meeting with a lot of people,” Ackerson said. “Second, there is just a desire to change. The message I’m carrying is of bipartisanship.
“I’m reaching out to Democrats, Republicans and Independents. That is resonating and people are contributing.”
Eighty-five percent of Ackerson’s contributions came from individual donations, while 78 percent of Buyer’s were from Political Action Committees.
“There’s nothing illegal or inappropriate about that,” Ackerson said of Buyer’s PAC donations, “but the money we get from small contributions from individuals means more to me.”
Ackerson was unopposed in Tuesday’s primary but greeted voters in all 12 counties that encompass the district. He spent a portion his afternoon talking to voters in Frankfort at Suncrest Elementary School.
Buyer easily defeated two opponents to earn his party’s nomination Tuesday night.
Twenty-seven challengers have outraised their incumbent opponents in U.S. Congressional races thus far, said Ackerson. He added 24 of those challengers were Democrats.
With his strong fundraising to date, Ackerson may be able to gain funds from the Democratic National Party.
“I hope so,” Ackerson said. “They have a lot of money, and they target the money to districts where they think there is a good chance of winning.
“I know they’re watching my district because they’ve told me that.”
Ackerson added that DNC Chairman Howard Dean “expressed a great deal of satisfaction with me” during a conversation the two had in Indianapolis this past weekend.
“We’ve raised 10 times more money than any candidate that has run against (Buyer) in the past has raised,” Ackerson said. “Ten times more, and we’re this early in the season.”
Ackerson said voters are tired of “partisanship bickering and attacks.”
“(Buyer’s) voting record is 100 percent in support of the Bush Administration,” Ackerson said. “My party won’t be right 100 percent of the time. I can’t imagine I would be voting 100 percent with a party representing people in California, Texas and Massachusetts.
“I think the people are ready for an independent voice, looks at the people and looks out for the best interest of the district.”
Maybe the biggest boost to Ackerson’s campaign has been the interest raised by the presidential primary between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Each candidate, and many of their surrogates, made numerous campaign stops in and near District 4 over the past month.
“It’s helped tremendously,” Ackerson said. “I’ve been at almost every event I can, which has been nearly all of them, in which a candidate or a member of their family has.”
Ackerson has had a few chances to meet the candidates, “but it’s been more important for me to talk to the people,” he said. “Just in the last week I’ve shook the hand of at least 3,000 people who didn’t come to see me, but they’re happy to meet someone they would like to be their congressman.”
Ackerson can’t predict the future of this campaign, but he was certain about one thing.
“I will be back (to Clinton County) often,” he said.
WBAA News
Ackerson tours CAT plant; talks about economy
LAFAYETTE, IN (2008-04-29) A candidate for Congress is touring the Lafayette area, talking about the economy.
Democrat Nels Ackerson toured the Caterpillar plant Tuesday afternoon.
He wanted to see the facility and hear about the 350 new jobs being added there.
Ackerson says the Lafayette area has a lot to offer manufacturers, but thinks there should be more work coming into businesses.
He says the 4th Congressional District ranks near the bottom of the list when it comes to receiving federal contracts.
Ackerson says if he’s elected, he’ll be an advocate for the area and bring tax dollars back to the area.
The Zionsville attorney does not have any primary opposition.
He likely will challenge incumbent Republican Steve Buyer in the General Election. © Copyright 2008, WBAA
Ackerson seeks to unseat Buyer in 4th District
By BOB BRIDGE bob@tmnews.com
February 12, 2008
BEDFORD — Nels Ackerson believes too many members of Congress have allowed personal interests to trump national interests, and he’d like to do his part to change that.
Last week, the Democrat filed as a candidate for Congress in Indiana’s 4th District, a seat currently occupied by Republican Steve Buyer.
“From conversations with local residents, whether at the Persimmon Festival Parade or the Martin Luther King celebration, I can tell you the people in Lawrence County are ready for new leadership in Washington,” Ackerson said. “The support I am getting from teachers and farmers, veterans and business leaders, college students and community leaders has been tremendously encouraging. I look forward to providing the kind of representation they deserve.”
(more…)
Elections 2008, Herald Times Report, Feb. 11
Democrat Nels Ackerson is running for U.S. Congress in Indiana’s Fourth District, which includes parts of Monroe, Morgan and Lawrence counties.
Ackerson, a Democrat, filed Friday for his candidacy in the May 6 primary election.
If elected, Ackerson said he hopes to focus on the economy, including helping the area obtain more federal contracts, and ensuring energy security. He’s also interested in making sure local veterans have adequate benefits and that there’s a focus on education that doesn’t pay attention to only test scores.
In addition, he said he hopes to be known for his non-partisan approach to solving issues.
“I want to bring people together,” he said. “I’ll listen to good ideas wherever they come from.”
Ackerson grew up near Eagletown, graduated from Purdue University and earned a masters in public policy at Harvard University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He spent several years practicing law in Indianapolis and Egypt and also served for more than two years in Washington, D.C., as chief counsel of the U.S. Senate’s Subcommittee on the Constitution under Sen. Birch Bayh.
Ackerson will face off against the district’s current representative, Republican Steve Buyer.
On Feb. 9, in an article from the Indianapolis Star, Bill McCleery writes:
Zionsville resident Nels Ackerson, 63, stopped by the Johnson County Courthouse on Thursday afternoon to file paperwork to challenge U.S. Rep. Steve Buyer, a Republican, for his Fourth District congressional seat. Ackerson has filed papers in 12 different counties.
“The government in Washington has lost its way,” Ackerson said Thursday. “Everyone I talk to in Johnson County and throughout the district is angry about that.”
Ackerson said he believes in going beyond partisanship to get things done for constituents. “I’m running not as the Democratic candidate,” he said. “I’m running as a candidate to serve all the people.”
Kathy Stolz, Democratic Chair for Johnson County, acknowledges that Republicans have a strong presence in the county but, “The fact that independents ran so strongly in the municipal elections in the fall (is) an indication people were looking for change,” she said.
BRIAN BYRNE - Staff writer
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Nels Ackerson came to town Wednesday. The Democrat from Eagletown visited the Clinton County Clerk’s office to file paperwork, making his candidacy official for Indiana’s 4th Congressional District.
“I am happy to present my papers because I am going to represent the folks in Clinton County better than they’ve ever been represented before,” he said to a small crowd of supporters in the clerk’s office.
Ackerson is challenging incumbent Republican Steve Buyer, who has yet to file in Clinton County.
The Democrat must file in all 12 counties in the district. On Wednesday, he also visited White, Tippecanoe and Montgomery counties. He plans to file today in Hendricks, Morgan and Johnson counties.
Sixteen-hour days are not unusual on the campaign trail, but Ackerson has seen positive results from his efforts, he said.
“It’s a very active campaign, and we’re doing very well,” he said. “I’m getting support from Republicans, Independents and Democrats all across the district.”
Ackerson noted his connection to the area, identifying his mother’s family as among the earliest settlers in Boone County. He also recalls annual visits to the Clinton County Fair as a child.
This will not be Ackerson’s last local visit, as he plans meetings with teachers, farmers and attendance at immigration forums.
“I expect to be in Clinton County often,” he said, adding that fundraisers may also be organized.
Ackerson last visited Frankfort to address the Clinton County Democrats’ Roosevelt-Kennedy Club at the Moose Lodge in January. The economy was a point of discussion that night, and Ackerson maintains a strong stance on the issue.
“The economic situation continues to get worse in some respects,” he said. “I’m confident we can turn it around because the American people are a strong people, but we need a government that just doesn’t watch it happen.”
With illegal immigration on the minds of so many Clinton Countians, Ackerson again stressed the need for stronger border control. He also said he believes immigrants who break the law should be deported.
Regardless of the multitude of circumstances and complications involved with working out a solution to the immigration issue, being proactive is key, said Ackerson.
“We can’t just ring our hands, we need to take some action,” he added.
Frankfort City Councilman Joe Palmer, a Democrat, was among those who greeted Ackerson at the courthouse. Palmer had met Ackerson on previous occasions, and has been impressed by the candidate.
“He’s a very sharp individual,” Palmer said of Ackerson, “and in our communication and talks has been very helpful. I think he makes a great candidate.”
ALEASHA SANDLEY
Journal Review, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2008
Nels Ackerson visited Crawfordsville on Wednesday to officially file his candidacy in the Montgomery County clerk’s office to become Indiana District 4 representative in the U.S. House of Representatives. Ackerson, a Democrat, filed for the May primary and wants to run against incumbent Rep. Steve Buyer, a Republican, in the November general election.
Although he is only required to file his candidacy with the Indiana Secretary of State, Ackerson is visiting all 12 counties in District 4 to file with them locally.
“I just want the folks in Montgomery County to know that I care about the folks in Montgomery County,” Ackerson said. Ackerson also visited White, Tippecanoe and Clinton
counties Wednesday and will continue his tour of the district Thursday and Friday.
Ackerson said that Buyer has lost touch with his constituents. He cited the troubled economy and poor state of veterans’ affairs as problems that happened under Buyer’s watch. “We have sent our troops into the Middle East to protect us and defend us and politics doesn’t matter at that point,” Ackerson said. “If he were talking to vets, he would know that.”
Locally, Ackerson would like the federal government to tap into Indiana’s — and District 4’s — untapped potential to solve the country’s dependency on foreign oil. “This district has a huge potential for ethanol,” Ackerson said. “People in the district know that, but in Washington they forget. When I get to Washington I intend to make the world know that and the nation know that.” Ackerson also cited the district’s workforce and three colleges - Purdue University, Wabash College, and Franklin College - as valuable assets of the district that he would like to use to show the federal government that Indiana can be a leader in the country.
In a statement, Ackerson also said he is gaining support among community members in Montgomery County, including Mayor Charlie Coons. He has attended meetings at Wabash College, the American Legion and with farm and other community groups, he said.
Ackerson lives in Boone County, grew up in Hamilton County and studied agriculture at Purdue University. He ran for Congress in 1980, but did not win. He cites family concerns as keeping him from running until now. “My children are grown now, and it’s time for all of us to step up,” he said.
Other issues Ackerson will focus on is his campaign include:
- Restoring integirty, competence and fiscal responsibility to government.
- Renewing national security, at home and abroad.
- Dedicating the nation to accessible and affordable health care and education.
- Repairing the immigration system.
- Taking care of obligations to veterans.
- Establishing clear objectives, timelines and exit strategies for pulling troops out of Iraq.
- Exploring new sources of energy, including ethanol, biodiesel, solar and wind.
 Friday, January 18, 2008Ackerson Pushes for 4th District SeatBRIAN BYRNE
Staff writer, Frankfort Times
Friday, January 18, 2008
Democratic House of Representatives candidate Nels Ackerson made a campaign stop in Clinton County Thursday, addressing a crowd of 40 party supporters in the Frankfort Moose Lodge.
Ackerson, an Indiana native, touched on the economy, the war in Iraq, immigration, and his opponent for the state’s 4th District - Republican Steve Buyer.
“This is an important and critical election for this country on the presidential level, but we also need a congress that works for the people, not themselves,” Ackerson told the crowd.
The event was part of the Clinton County Democrats’ Roosevelt-Kennedy Club meeting.
Ackerson was raised on a farm near Westfield and is a graduate of Purdue University. A successful international lawyer, Ackerson has previously served as a senior staff member on the U.S. Senate.
The Democrat noted what he sees as Buyer’s strong ties to political action committees, and believes, after four terms, it is time for a fresh face to represent northern Indiana in Congress.
“We need to bring this man home,” Ackerson said.
Ackerson also expounded on the war in Iraq.
“It was a mistake to go in there, because we didn’t have to in the first place,” he said.
While some may see promise in the U.S.’s recent efforts in the Middle East, Ackerson offers a different take.
“The surge is working if our objective is to have permanent military control of the area,” he said. “Otherwise, we’re not making progress.”
Fielding a question regarding the slumping stock market, Ackerson gave a bleak prediction for the future of the economy.
“It’s going to get worse before I can get into office,” he said.
According to Ackerson, Clinton County should expect to take the state’s financial woes on the chin.
“This district is going to suffer as least as much from the fall of the economy as any part of Indiana,” he said afterward, citing the ethanol fuel industry as an example of the new business critical to the state’s economic future.
Touching on a hot button issue, Ackerson puts blame on area problems resulting from illegal immigration onto the nation’s leaders in Washington, D.C.
“The federal government is responsible for the costs that now Frankfort and Clinton County are paying,” he said afterward.
Ackerson supports stronger protection of entry points to the U.S.
“The borders need to be secured,” he said afterward, emphasizing that this must include airports and harbors.
Former mayoral candidate Chuck Toney was in attendance Thursday, and was impressed with Ackerson’s breadth of knowledge.
“He’s well versed on just about anything you would want to discuss about politics,” Toney said.
Clinton County Democrats President John Bonecutter echoed Toney’s sentiments.
“I’ve heard him speak before, and I am always impressed with him,” he said.
The Democrats have yet to announce a candidate for this fall’s county elections - something Bonecutter plans to work on in the coming months.
“We obviously have to fill a slate with good candidates,” he said, “and then really encourage the voters to come out.” |
Amber Tomlinson, Reporter, Herald Journal, www.thehj.com
Jan. 31, 2008
State and local candidates are continuing to file their declarations for the primary election, although some will not be making an official statement at this time.
U.S. Reps. Steve Buyer (R-District 4) and Joe Donnelly (D-District 2) have both filed but officials for both candidates said they have not made an official statement at this time.
Other candidates who have filed for U.S. Rep. are Republican Tony Zirkle (District 2) on Jan. 29 and Democrat Nels Ackerson (District 4) on Jan. 23.
Ackerson, a lawyer and farmer, said courage, compassion, and competence are the foundation of his vision for Indiana and for America. He also said he sees a government that is working for the people.
“Faced with challenges and opportunities this nation has never seen before, we need new solutions. New solutions require new leadership,” Ackerson said on his Web site. “We need leadership that brings people together; leadership that puts principle ahead of the party line and people before politics. When I am elected that is exactly what I will do.”
