RACE WATCH: Murray V. Grooms

                    

          Senator Ron Groom                 Vs.          Senate Hopeful Anna Murray

RACE WATCH:

Anna Murray V. Ron Grooms

Two candidates could not be more polar opposite. On one side is Anna Murray, a Dan Canon disciple California democrat who is as far left as Bernie Sanders, maybe farther. On the other is Ron Grooms, an even keeled old school republican who has spent years making a positive impact on our community.

I find this race interesting to watch. With the overlap of Urban Clark County, Rural Floyd County, and Urban Floyd County weighing in on this race, I feel it will be a good test to how much of the republican base has eroded due to President Trump. It may be true that New Albany is an apparent Socialist Democrat stronghold here in Southern Indiana, but will that base turn out for Anna Murray? Only time will tell. My guess is that they will.

Ron Grooms has been a longtime elected city official and now 2 term state senator. Because of the name recognition and voting history of Sen. Grooms, I'm going to not review his stats in-depth. The Grooms highlights compared to Anna's website are (IMHO):

-On the surface, Grooms may be against medical marijuana because of how it's being pushed. But I don't think he's flat out against it, just the rush to embrace it. Remember, marijuana is still a controlled substance under federal law. I think that plays into his decision more than anything. Years ago, synthetic opioids were pushed the same way medical weed is being pushed now, as a fix all for pain. Now we have an opioid epidemic. Weed may have some benefits medically, but without hard evidence Grooms will be hesitant to jump on board the train. However, I do know he is open to it. Remember, he is a pharmacist. He understands the impact of drugs better than most.

-Anna talks about respect. I've known Ron for years and he is one of the most respectful people I know. In fact, I know a lot of people who could learn a thing or two on how to treat people by learning from him.

-Anna talks about gerrymandering for votes. That is a mythological issues that someone has told her to use on a website. She refers to districts in other states as having issues. She can't even put an example of a district in Indiana to support her claims. Instead she has a district picture outside Pittsburg? In fact, we don't really have much of that here. If you know our community and the way the districts are done, it is in an attempt not separate neighborhoods while meeting the population requirements.

-And of course, like every good Democrat, Anna is supportive of Unions and raising the minimum wage. If she would take a step back from drinking the socialist democrat Kool-Aid for a second, she would see that raising the minimum wage would do nothing. There are jobs EVERYWHERE! Please, show me one that pays $7.25 minimum wage.  Go ahead. I'll wait... Waiting....  Waiting...….   You can't because there are none. This is called a free market. No one is going to pay $7.25 because when there are so many jobs they have to compete for workers. Don't like working where you are, drive down the road to one of the 5000 now hiring signs and apply. If they don't pay more that you are making now, keep looking. In all seriousness, there are 100's if not 1000's of local jobs right now that are paying $16-$18/hr starting out.

So what would raising minimum wage really do? Increase inflation. Grooms understands this. He also understands that if someone doesn't like how much they are being paid, that person can go find a new and better one that pays more. I guess Anna is a "handout mother figure" type of lady while Ron is more of a "responsibility for yourself" type guy.


Anna is a really nice woman. If you speak to her, she's very personable and easily likeable. But once you scratch the surface, I have found someone who is out classed compared to Sen. Grooms who has no real experience in the arenas that make up her platform. Most of her thoughts are based on feelings instead of facts, theory instead of proof. Of course she's endorsed by every union and LTGB group there is because they won't speak to anyone who's not a Democrat. I really don't put much stock in those endorsements nor most endorsements for that matter, for either side.

When the sun sets on this November election, one question will ring true: Did the very vocal minority of Socialist Democrats make enough headway to pull the old school conservative Steve Stemler type Democrats into their camp?

I say no way that happens. Every major Democrat running in this upcoming race is too far left to really have an impact in my opinion. If they were just left of center, everyone of them would probably have a real shot. The fact of the matter is they are all left of left and that is just too big of a swing for a majority of Southern Indiana Hoosiers.

I predict that Anna works hard with lots of little signs out but Ron has the edge in this race and will live to see his third term in the statehouse.

What are your thoughts? 

Do you have the scoop?

Let us know in the comments below.