Tom McDermott the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat on the ballot next week here in Indiana. This is the landing page for his official campaign website. Anything jump out at you?
Yeah, me too.
Indiana still has early voting (it’s called “in-person absentee voting” here; maybe that’s what it’s called everywhere), so I’d already voted for the man before visiting his site. I only came across it preparing for an assignment in my American Government classes which required students to check out the campaign pages of each of the three candidates on the ballot for Senate and House in our District. There’s a Libertarian candidate, like there always is, and the incumbent, Republican Todd Young. (Young is the less-horrifying of Indiana’s two Republican senators – one of those conservatives I’d have adamantly opposed a decade ago, but who at times seems almost calm and rational compared to Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ron DeSantis, or Indiana’s other Senator, Mike Braun.)
One of the questions on the assignment was “What two or three things does this candidate most want you to notice, feel, or think about when you first browse their site?” I wasn’t looking for anything overly profound – just wanting us to notice the abundance of American flags, what issues the various candidates lead with, and the general “tone” each site projects. This catchy little slogan certainly qualified.
Honestly, at first I thought perhaps I’d stumbled across some sort of parody site or imitation webpage intended to besmirch McDermott. (It’s not like Republicans are known for their commitment to taking the high road and staying classy about anything these days.) But no – this is the real thing.
I’m not offended, and after thinking about it for a few moments I’m not even all that surprised. This is still a very red state. If you click on “About Tom,” the brief biography leads with his 18 years as Mayor of a reasonably sized Indiana city and the millions of dollars in economic development he’s apparently brought in over the years. There’s a brief bit about helping lots of local kids get to college, then an effusive description of his time in the U.S. Navy aboard a nuclear submarine and some of the very manly sounding things he did there.
Only then does the bio slide back into anything overtly “liberal” – while earning his law degree at Notre Dame, McDermott worked in the school’s Legal Aid office “providing legal services for the less fortunate.” Before wrapping up, we also learn about his love of competing in marathons and his leadership roles in a local church.
Why am I bringing all of this up, especially given that most of you can’t vote in the state of Indiana?
It’s not to offer criticism of the man or his campaign page. I get it. I remember my surprise several years back in Oklahoma at how many of the Democratic candidates bragged about their favorable ratings with the NRA or made a point of emphasizing their orthodox religious beliefs. Any left-leaning hopeful wanting to at least make a race of it in such conservative states has to project a certain image to even be taken seriously. An overdose of patriotism and testosterone is unlikely to sway anyone determined to vote for the far-right crazies, but it might prove reassuring to someone who considers themselves conservative but hasn’t fully embraced the gaslit fascism of the modern Republican Party.
Honestly, I have to think that for many people of all political stripes, “No Bullshit” actually sounds pretty appealing these days. It also suggests a type of aggressiveness and an unwillingness to follow social norms – neither of which I love in politics at the moment, but both of which have a degree of feral appeal nonetheless.
A visit to the “Issues” page brings up “Reproductive Rights” first and foremost. Local polling has been inconsistent, but despite Young having something like a zillion more dollars in his war chest than McDermott, this issue alone has some predicting a close race. Once you scroll down, however, it’s “Inflation and Spending” (as in less federal spending), “Health Care” (with a focus on getting costs under control), better care for Veterans, and promoting Small Businesses across the state. Only then does another traditionally “liberal” issue appear – Education. (Based on the campaign blurb there, it’s apparently “very important.”)
Then comes Voting Rights (he supports them) and Environment & Climate (another yay). After that my attention wandered a bit, proving that I, too, am a REAL American.
Senator Young’s site is the only one of any of the six candidates we used in class (3 running for Senate, 3 running for House) which practically hides his “Issues” page. It’s not available from the main page, but if you read all the way through “About Todd,” there’s a “Priorities” link at the bottom. Senator Young is pro-adoption, but apparently has no other thoughts or opinions about abortion. (He wants to “promote” life, but stops short of “protecting” it, which I find to be a rather tepid distinction .) He wants housing to be affordable, veterans to be served, and education to be “modernized” (which seems to mean “more focused on cranking out skilled workers for local industries to consume”).
Then again, why should he stir any of those pots with specifics? He’s the incumbent, and the Republican, and he’s probably going to win. A few photos of the senator shaking hands with farmers and a video montage of him speaking to small gatherings in cafes or the local VFW is probably sufficient. And to be fair, he has a great look. I don’t like most of his actual policies (the real ones, not the vague rhetoric on the campaign site), but I trust his hair implicitly. And that jaw – so firm, so reassuring!
Remember when being a serial killer was enough to get you on the naughty list for most folks? Then Jeffrey Dahmer came along and raised the bar for “bad.” Now, we can’t help but think that while folks who merely kill lots of people still aren’t ideal, at least they’re not eating them afterwards. That’s kinda how it is with modern Republicans. It’s such a relief when one of them isn’t actively trying to destroy democracy or undermine the founding values on which the nation was built (not to mention objective reality itself) that we can hardly get worked up over their otherwise horrifying agenda.
Plus, did I mention the hair? It’s totes svelte.
I don’t know if there’s a “right” balance between polish and substance when it comes to modern politics. I’m a big fan of simply laying your cards on the table, but I know that’s not how elections are won – and it doesn’t much matter how forthright or laudably honest you are if it condemns your campaign to obscurity. You have to win before you can make any changes, whether you intend to move the nation forward or take it way, way back.
So, good luck, Mr. McDermott. Unfortunately, I suspect there will be plenty of “bullshit” raining down from all directions before this time next week, even if none of it comes from you. Here’s hoping democracy survives long enough for us to continue these sorts of discussions.