IU senior Drew Ash knew exactly whom to pick when he voted early for Indiana State Representative District 61: himself. Ash, who said he chose to run this year because it is the first election he met the age limit of 21, is running as an independent on a campaign that is almost completely self-funded.
IDS: How are you feeling right now?
Ash: Naturally, there are the jitters because there’s been so much preparation, and it all comes to close in one day. We’ve been working on this for months, getting out the vote, and it all comes down to one day, which is tomorrow. Nervous, but you realize there’s a point in time where I can’t really do anything more.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced during this campaign?
Apathy is by far the most troubling thing I’ve faced just because there’s a number of voters who aren’t even motivated to vote at all. Getting them to register and then go to the polls is difficult. The key is relating the campaign to them personally. ... If they’re a student and have student loans, it matters. If they’re a minimum wage-worker and they’re earning minimum wage, it matters. Anybody who pays taxes, which is everybody, whether you have a job or not, because you’re paying sales tax, you’re paying property tax, this election matters to you.
What was your biggest goal for the campaign, and do you feel like you met it?
The biggest goal of this campaign was to bring new issues to the forefront that otherwise wouldn’t have been brought, and in that capacity, I think we’ve been successful. I’ve lobbied for the full-out legalization of marijuana, so finally we have a candidate in the area that supports that. Also, as a progressive, I’ve argued against a high corporate income tax for progressive reasons, because I think it’s a flat tax, and there’s some nuances on some of the issues where I’m glad I’ve been able to bring attention to because otherwise I don’t think they would have been discussed.
Why should people vote for you?
Because I am in the best position to lobby for change. I haven’t taken out-of-state money, I haven’t taken corporate money. When I lobby for campaign finance reform, I’m not going to be cast as a hypocrite because I’ve led by example. I haven’t been in the statehouse for years. Talk is cheap, and we’ve had our current representative for many years, and I respect him, but I think we need to move forward in a new direction. And finally, as an independent, I think I can bridge the divide between both parties at a time when we’re so fractured politically.
How is the final leg of this race different from the rest of it?
I think it’s the most tiring, but at the same front, you’re also more motivated, and you’re more inspired, and you have more energy. Yes, you’re more tired. You’re also more motivated, and it kind of just cancels out.
Do you have any memories that stand out to you from this campaign?
You always strike up conversations with people about the election when you least expect it, and that’s memorable. Running your campaign as a small business I think is really cool. Having the authority to call the shots and designate resources where you see best fit I think is a valuable experience.
How are you feeling about your chances?
I think it’s an uphill battle. To set expectations realistically because I’m running as an independent, and independents typically don’t fare too well in elections, but I think we have a strong student vote that will turn up. I think we have a strong number of people who used to canvass for Bernie that might choose to vote for me because I’m a strong Bernie supporter — or I was before Hillary won the nomination. I think there’s a coalition that we’ve tried to build, and I think those people in that coalition are very likely to vote tomorrow, and I think that increases our odds.
If you could say one final thing to voters, what would it be?
Be there, and remember you don’t get this chance every month. You’re not going to be able to vote for another two years for this office, so make sure that you vote for bold change, because if you vote for the status quo, you’re not going to get the chance to vote again for quite a while.
