by Joan Roth
A Jeffersonville Rally with Congress Hopeful Liz Watson
At the Jeffersonville neighborhood rally, the atmosphere was infused with enthusiasm, not only for Liz Watson, Democratic candidate for Indiana congresswoman, but with candidates running for local and state offices. The rally was a home-grown Indiana Democratic event, hosted by the party for volunteers willing to take time out of their own schedules to hit door after door after door in North Jeffersonville.
A motivator, discussing the stakes in this election, quotes Martin Luther King: “An individual cannot start living until he/she rises above the narrow confines of individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”
“That’s why we’re here — to make sure that Liz Watson is elected to Congress because she’s gonna represent the working class. She’s going to enable us to stop Trump and the harm he has inflicted upon Americans!” shouts one speaker.
The North Jefferson neighborhood slated for Saturday’s canvassing is known for its low voter turnout. A speaker explains that the community is in need of a personal touch. The campaign needs us all to get out there to talk up Liz.
I accompany Liz and her husband Craig. He’s on his cell phone, using an app to figure out which houses to go to — this late in the game, they must be sure to knock only on Democrat’s doors. Liz carries a hard copy of the addresses, just in case.
The homes are small, laden with worn couches on sprawling front porches and leftover pumpkins decorated for Halloween, cats seated in windows, and barking dogs behind fences. One house sign, taped to a grey curtained window reads, “stay away from my house I am an axe murderer bitch”. Obviously, we didn’t knock there.
Most sleepy residents, prospective voters who happily opened not only their doors, but their hearts, to Liz’s charm, seem to believe that she is going to win. Liz is going to Washington, according to her fans. It seems as if her self-identification as an Indiana Hoosier was a real breakthrough — this Tennessee interloper certainly isn’t one of them Liz is.
Liz is there at the door, which is sufficient reason, home owners say, to vote for her. Almost everyone who answered the door hadn’t been planning to vote, that is, until Liz arrived. One woman immediately left home to go vote for her. In this year’s race, the numbers of doors knocked on is key to winning, and the more support, the better. Liz’s mom, a woman in her 70s, has knocked on over a thousand doors.
The most spirited place we visit is Mark’s Old World Barber shop on the corner, full of firemen, policemen, and janitors — union guys, all of whom were thrilled to see Liz.
Later, Liz was joined by a local congressman and steel worker, who came down to Jeffersonville all the way from Gary. His looming presence opened more doors for Liz, to whom union support is both crucial and meaningful. This big union guy in his steel sweatshirt, stomping for Liz was a sight to behold. A huge feat for a little Jewish girl.
A selection of images follow below.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lilith Magazine.