Sodrel discusses campaign with IU Republicans

With the presidential primaries commanding much of the media’s attention, November’s concurrent congressional elections might not yet seem pressing to voters.\nBut for Republican Mike Sodrel, the race is already underway. Sodrel will challenge Democratic incumbent Baron Hill to represent Indiana’s 9th District in the U.S. House \nof Representatives. \nSodrel spoke to about 30 members of the IU College Republicans on Monday night in the Sassafras Room of the Indiana Memorial Union in what he said was an effort to recruit volunteers for his campaign. \nSodrel focused his lecture on what he believes will be some of the defining issues of the race, including taxes, health care, immigration, job creation and social security.\nIU College Republicans chairwoman Chelsea Kane said Sodrel’s campaign contacted her in late December about the possibility of hosting an event. She said she thinks it’s important for young voters to get to know more about their representatives, especially in such an intimate environment. \n“It’s important, whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, to find out what these (congressmen) are about and see who is going to best represent you,” she said. “This is a format where you can talk one-on-one with your potential representative.” \nCassie Alderson, the press secretary for the IU College Republicans, agreed. She said the race for the 9th District, which includes Bloomington and most of southeastern Indiana, is important because it is historically competitive, which could encourage its representative to be more responsive to the needs of constituents. \n“I think things will actually get done (in Congress) because (the 9th District) is competitive,” she said. \nThe upcoming election will be Sodrel’s fourth bid for a House seat, and he has faced Hill in each of his previous races.\nRyan Reger, Sodrel’s campaign manager, said Congressional candidates cannot officially file to run until Jan. 23, but it is likely Sodrel and Hill will square off for a fourth time in November. After losing to Hill in 2002, Sodrel was elected in 2004 and served out his two-year term before losing again in 2006. \nBut Sodrel cautioned members of the group not to characterize the race as a grudge match. \n“(This race) has nothing to do with me or my opponent,” he said. “What it has to do with is what you think the future of the United States is, and where you think the country is going. I would be on the ballot irrespective of who happened to be on the other side.” \nSodrel said he hopes voters will make their decisions based on the issues on which he and Hill differ, instead of personality or history.\nDeputy campaign manager Diego Morales said IU students and Bloomington residents can expect to see more of Sodrel, partly because frequent trips to Monroe County proved successful in 2006, and the campaign sees the county as an important one in 2008. \n“Before he was elected to Congress (in 2004), he came a number of times (to) Bloomington,” Morales said. “You’re going to see him many, many times.”