07/26/2025
The perception that Democrats are weak, out of touch, and uninterested in the daily struggles of working-class families isn’t just a Republican narrative—it’s a reality for many voters, especially in rural Indiana. Outside of a few blue bastions in Indiana, the Democratic brand struggles to resonate. During an interview with Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott, he asked a simple but revealing question: “Do you want to be right, or do you want to win?” It’s a gut check for Democrats who keep choosing performative outrage over practical politics, often reinforcing the very image they’re trying to shake. When voters see Democrats more eager to respond to tone than to speak directly to their lives—jobs, schools, health care—they tune out.
Which brings us to State Rep. Andrew Ireland, a Trump/Banks wannabe who thrives on baiting Democrats into losing their message. His “Cornfield Clink” jab about Camp Atterbury was childish and inappropriate, no doubt—but did it require a full-throated, indignant response from a Democratic state rep? Probably not. That response didn’t change minds; it confirmed them. In rural Indiana, it only solidified the stereotype that Democrats are easily offended, obsessed with language, and disconnected from the real concerns of the community. The goal shouldn’t be to win the moral argument in a blue district—it should be to gain credibility in the red ones. Because until Democrats learn to choose their battles wisely, they’ll keep winning arguments and losing elections.
