Mike Braun’s Horrible, Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

Mike Braun had a lousy week. Ads, debates, race ratings, and donations showed what those paying attention to the race have seen: the McCormick momentum is real. Let’s go through it:

The Ad

The week started with Mike Braun unveiling a false negative ad that violated Indiana law. 

Braun unveiled the ad on Monday, which was digitally falsified without a disclaimer required by Indiana law for altered content. This could expose him to legal risk. Then, the ad was changed at some stations (although the original, illegal ad continued to run for at least a day). Braun added a disclaimer to his false ad. Now Braun has a third ad up, still repeating the false claims but without the falsified images.

Jennifer McCormick has never supported banning gas stoves. Her camper has one, and Terry Goodin has one (we’ll return to running mates later). 

The Race Ratings Shift Continue

• The Sabato’s Crystal Ball at UVA Center for Politics moved their race rating toward McCormick. This follows Inside Elections moving the race toward McCormick last week.
• Even the Republican Mayor of Jeffersonville, Mayor Mike Moore, said McCormick’s chances aren’t “a longshot anymore.” 

The Debates

Jennifer McCormick notched two debate wins this week, resoundingly defeating Braun in the Fox-59/CBS-4 debate on Wednesday night and winning the three-way WISH-TV debate on Thursday night.

• McCormick won the Fox-59/CBS-4 debate so convincingly that Braun fled the building instead of attending the traditional post-debate press conference.
  • A moment from the Fox-59/CBS-4 debate, in which McCormick made her clear and compelling case to repeal Indiana’s extreme abortion ban, has gone viral on social media, receiving hundreds of thousands of impressions.
  • McCormick “seemed to get under Mike Braun’s skin,” according to Importantville’s Adam Wren.
  • Mike Braun refused to disavow or apologize for his running mate Micah Beckwith’s comments saying Democratic women running for office have a “Jezebel spirit.” (It’s worth remembering that Braun told Beckwith after their arranged marriage, “Everything you believe in, I have as well.”)
• McCormick won the WISH-TV debate, according to former Republican Candidate for Mayor of Indianapolis Abdul Hakim-Shabazz. 
  • Braun continued to perpetuate the lie that he founded his business; Braun “acquired” the company from his dad.

The Donations

• The DGA announced a $600,000 donation to McCormick’s campaign, “dwarfing” the RGA’s commitment to Braun, according to Politico’s Adam Wren.
  • The contribution followed news of a DGA poll showing the race a toss-up.
• McCormick raised over $32,000 in small online contributions during both debates.

The Miscellany 

• McCormick’s campaign continued robust direct voter contact, making over 15,000 voter contact calls LAST NIGHT.