In Southern Indiana’s 9th Congressional District, voters have a remarkable opportunity to elect a highly appealing candidate who offers a clear contrast with her Republican incumbent opponent, Todd Young, elected two years ago on a wave of tea party enthusiasm.
Shelli Yoder, 44, a Bloomington Democrat, a former Miss Indiana — and a former Republican — said she jumped into her first run for public office out of sheer frustration with partisan extremism and the obstructionist policies of her opponent.
So, while Mr. Young was busy joining House Republicans in repeated and fruitless votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Ms. Yoder began traveling the 13-county district, hearing stories from Hoosiers about their health care needs and how they benefited from the 2010 health care law.
Ms. Yoder described a mother whose son, 8, is recovering from cancer. Thanks to health care reform, she no longer fears caps on her son’s benefits or having him cut off the family’s insurance plan.
She met a woman with a painful ovarian disease who had no health insurance after her husband lost his job. But she was able to get coverage and care she needed through a federally authorized insurance pool, courtesy of health care reform.
And Ms. Yoder notes that 5,000 young adults in Indiana under age 26 now have access to health care through their parents’ plans, thanks to what Republicans deride as “Obamacare.”
We don’t know whether Mr. Young, 40, of Bloomington, is hearing similar stories. He declined an invitation to meet with The Courier-Journal editorial board.
But his record speaks for itself. In addition to seeking to repeal health care reform, Mr. Young, a member of the House budget committee, supports the budget plan of Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney’s running mate, which would drastically cut federal spending and reshape Medicare into a “voucher” plan for senior citizens.
Ms. Yoder’s story is simple and refreshing. A wife, mother and busy professional at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, she said she decided to run with little visibility and or organization because she believes someone needs to step up and truly represent the hard-working and struggling families in her district.
With a campaign treasury of about $300,000, Ms. Yoder is facing an uphill battle against her well-funded opponent, who has raised more than $1 million.
But Ms. Yoder already has surprised observers by winning a five-way primary election with 42 percent of the vote, carrying 12 of the 13 counties.
With the help of voters, perhaps she can surprise Mr. Young Nov. 6.
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Louisville Courier-Journal: Shelli Yoder for Indiana’s 9th
