Importantville: Joe and Joe rally—Mike and Mike rally—Klain prepped Donnelly for debate
What's happening—and what's next—at the intersection of business and politics in Indiana?
By Adam Wren and design by Kris Davidson
Days to Election Day: 22
FIRST IN IMPORTANTVILLE: Ron Klain, whom Axios calls the “debate-prep guru for every Democratic presidential candidate back to Bill Clinton in 1992,” advised Sen. Joe Donnelly ahead of his first Senate debate. Klain and Donnelly’s campaign declined to confirm the news, citing a long-standing policy of not commenting on debate prep.
Braun was widely seen as the loser of the first debate. At an event with former Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma) on Thursday, he seemed to downplay the importance of the first debate, explaining that it was only one of two—and that he asked for four debates.
Good morning, and welcome to Importantville. Campaigns: How about those Q3 fundraising numbers already?
WHERE’S VEEP? He has lunch with the U.S. Trade Representative and does a pair of campaign events in D.C. with Jay Webber for Congress and John Chrin for Congress.
HAPPENING TODAY: Apparently George W. Bush is in town for Braun today, per the Star’s per the Star's Carley Lanich.
Former President George W. Bush will speak in Indiana on Monday for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Braun.
Republican officials announced the visit Friday night at the Indiana Republican Party's Fall Dinner Downtown at the JW Marriott.
I’ve not received an advisory about the details of the visit from state party or the Braun campaign.
Indiana Republicans call on Mnuchin to cancel Riyadh visit as U.S. approaches diplomatic brink with Saudi Arabia
At least two Indiana Republicans are pushing back against the Trump administration’s handling of diplomatic relations with Saudia Arabia.
Sen. Todd Young and Rep. Jim Banks are calling on Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to cancel a visit to a Riyadh investment conference, as diplomatic tensions between the two nation’s heat up following the execution of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Young has tangled with the Trump administration before over its policy toward the conflict in Yemen, which is now the world’s largest humanitarian disaster.
“I am following closely the deeply concerning news reports related to journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and I have requested an update from the Department of State,” Young said in a statement last week.
Recapping a crazy weekend in Indiana politics
Lots of news Friday and Saturday. Here are a few interesting things to me that happened:
ENTHUSIASM GAP? Early in the night, attendees to the Biden-Donnelly rally seemed swallowed up by the size of the Hammond Civic Center. But when the final numbers came in, final attendance was about 2,300. GOP’s Fall Dinner had about 1,000 people in attendance (this isn’t apples to apples, of course—people had to pay to be there). But on Saturday morning, attendance seemed pretty thin at the Veep’s rally (full disclosure: I wasn’t there; it’s possible it filled up). To be fair, Trump brought a crowd of 10,000 to his rally in Evansville last month. What we don’t yet know: Does that enthusiasm translate into votes for Braun come Election Day?
BRAUN DEBUTS NEW LINE: “Sleepin’ Joe calls himself the hired help, he looks like the tired help, and with his performance I think he oughta be the fired help.” But will he say it to Donnelly’s face in the Oct. 30 debate?
THE OLADIPO ENDORSEMENT BROKE THROUGH: When news broke that the NBA’s Most Improved Player would endorse Donnelly, Twitter—at least Indiana Twitter—blew up (by the way, Oladipo almost didn’t make the rally—he was stuck in a team meeting that ran late Friday). It’s the rare endorsement that seemed to resonate outside of the politics bubble. Predictably, some criticized Oladipo for not sticking to sports. SB Nation picked up the endorsement, writing: “Is any NBA player more popular in the state in which he plays more than Vic?”It also makes me wonder: Does Braun match the endorsement with Trump’s favorite Hoosier: Bobby Knight? Also, look for more Oladipo events around the state as the Election nears.
The coverage…
Associated Press: Biden, Pence rally Indiana voters in fierce Senate race
Former Vice President Joe Biden brought his blue-collar appeal to a Democratic stronghold of Indiana on Friday, heaping praise on Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly as the kind of guy who keeps his word, puts country over party—and would have his back in a street fight.
Around the same time, current Vice President Mike Pence was rallying for Donnelly's opponent, Mike Braun, in Indianapolis.
Biden told a crowd in the heavily industrial northwest corner of Indiana that "Joe is as good a man as I know," adding that if they'd grown up in the same neighborhood they would've been friends.
“I'll tell you why: I know that if I were coming through my neighborhood and I got jumped by four guys, even though ... it wouldn't make a difference, Joe would jump in and help me,” Biden said.
Read more here.
‘I’m the other Joe’: Biden stumps for Donnelly to energize Dem base in Indiana
With early voting underway in his battleground reelection campaign, Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) turned to red-state Democrats' best national surrogate to gin up enthusiasm among his base: former Vice President Joe Biden.
Biden peppered his speech here Friday night with red-meat applause lines for the hundreds of enthusiastic Democrats in the crowd: he talked of protecting health care and coverage for pre-existing conditions, gave shout-outs to union and middle-class households and criticized the current administration, saying that “basic American values are under assault” and President Donald Trump is “cratering” America’s reputation abroad.
Read more here.
Chris Sikich, Indy Star: Pence implores Hoosiers to vote for Braun, help with Hurricane Michael relief
Vice President Mike Pence implored Hoosiers on Friday to elect Mike Braun to the U.S. Senate to continue the progress he said the Trump administration has made the past two years.
“We have got to re-elect a Republican majority in the House of Representatives, and we have got to expand the Republican majority in the United States Senate by electing Mike Braun," Pence said to loud cheers at the Indiana Republican Party's Fall Dinner Downtown at the JW Marriott.
Read more here.
Jacob Curry, Howey Politics Indiana: Pence, Braun show unity, optimism at GOP fall dinner
The top names among the Indiana GOP - from both the past and the present - gathered in the J.W. Marriot Friday night for the Indiana Republican Party Fall Dinner. If there was any doubt among the high profile dinner guests over the GOP's chances in the upcoming November election, it didn't show.
The night almost had the feeling of a victory lap - save for the reminders to vote and that more progress would be on the way should Republicans maintain their majorities going into next year. In short, it was a display of confidence from GOP leaders in both their work and their message as election day draws near.
Read more here.
Importantville Inbox
“I Like Mike”—Trump fundraises for Braun off his campaign list.
The pitch: I like Mike Braun. Look at his record! Successful businessman, job creator, family man, great guy. He and I get along great because we both have a passion for protecting conservative values and making America great again.
Sleepin’ Joe is nothing like Mike! He ships jobs to Mexico, votes against our military, and only takes orders from Chuck Schumer and the DC Liberals – not Indiana families. We need to get rid of this guy!
Importantville Trivia
President Donald J. Trump said Mitch McConnell will be recognized as the greatest Senate Majority Leader ever. What Hoosier served as the second Majority Leader in the U.S. Senate? (H/T Mitch Harper).
That’s all for today. What questions do you have as we near Election Day? What are you most interested in reading about? Have a good week.
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