Mullen Makes Stop in Warsaw
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
Mullen is the presumptive Democratic candidate to take on projected Republican primary winner Jackie Walorski for U.S. Representative Joe Donnelly’s 2nd congressional district seat.
Donnelly is vacating the seat to take on either incumbent Richard Lugar or State Treasurer Richard Mourdock in the fall’s U.S. Senate race.
Mullen stopped by the Times-Union building in Warsaw to discuss his general election campaign, his support from veterans and his “common sense” solutions for the 2nd district and the country.
Mullen, 35, is a South Bend native, Army combat veteran and graduate from West Point.
Mullen, while in some polls trailing Walorski early on in the general election, has consistently been able to raise enough money to compete with his Republican foe.
He’s also pleased with his organization.
“We’ve knocked on 9,000 doors, we’ve made 12,000 calls,” said Mullen. “We have an organization of 70 volunteers.”
Mullen also outraised Walorski in fundraising in the first quarter of 2012 with more than $242,000.
Mullen is also garnering the support of his party nationally as evidenced by a recent stop by Vice President Joe Biden to do some fundraising in Lake County.
It can also be seen in a March fundraiser for Walorski where Republican strategist Karl Rove, a former advisor to President George W. Bush, was on hand to stump for Walorski.
“I just want to get stuff done,” said Mullen. “We’re being directly attacked by the national Republicans. We’ve had Karl Rove participating. But we’re out here running a transparent, open campaign to learn what people’s issues are.”
Mullen has stopped at coffee shops to assisted living centers and everywhere in between the 10-county district, which includes part of Kosciusko County to sell his message of common sense solutions.
The South Bend native points to his experience as a small business owner and not being a career politician as what is drawing voters to him.
He owns a consulting and information technology firm that, according to his website, employs more than 110 people.
He also said Walorski herself is drawing voters away from her.
“Their concerns are the strident voice, the finger in your face, the bickering attitude,” said Mullen of what voters have said they don’t like about Walorski.
“But I’m focused on us,” said Mullen. “The team we’ve built I’m extremely proud of,” said Mullen. “I’m extremely proud of the way we’ve done things. I’m thrilled with the positive campaign we’re sticking by.”
“We’ve hit every inch of this district and more and more people are coming out of the woodwork,” said Mullen.
“Whether it’s in Elkhart, Kosciusko or Wabash counties, people have the same concerns, we’ve been a country at war for a decade. They want congress to work together. They’re worried about jobs,” said Mullen. “And we need to take a clear-eyed, cold-hearted look as we face the future.”
Mullen points to his military service and the fact that he does so well in fundraising as one of his proudest aspects of his campaign.
“In this journey, the most gratifying thing is when I get a campaign contribution with an APOE address,” said Mullen. “That means it’s coming from the foothills of the Kandahar Mountains.”
Mullen said he served with soldiers who he graduated with from West Point who are still overseas.
Mullen served in Operation Iraqi Freedom where he helped train Iraqi Security Forces.
He acknowledged the issues facing the country like the precarious status of Medicare and Social Security are daunting.
“Right now, with those programs it’s not about just making sure it’s there for our kids and our grandkids but for those who are on it right now,” said Mullen.
Mullen said he is driven to grow the country’s middle class and bring jobs back to the country.
Though those results won’t happen as a result of things like Rep. Paul Ryan’s Path to Prosperity plan, said Mullen.
Mullen equated it as essentially a “robbing Peter to pay Paul” plan which shifts money out of the middle class to big business and those in the top 1 percent.
He especially wanted to see veterans returning from places like Iraq and Afghanistan to have a chance at a job or to better their education.
He applauded President Barack Obama’s administration for passing the 9/11 GI bill.
And despite the fact that Kosciusko County is historically the most Republican county in the state, Mullen said Wednesday’s visit will not be his last to Kosciusko County.
“We’re going to compete in all 10 counties,” said Mullen. “And we’re going to listen to people’s concerns.
Locally, those concerns of farmers and small businesses who feel stifled by agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency are something Mullen wants to listen to.
“We know that government can overreach in a lot of aspects,” said Mullen. “But we also have to communicate that government is beneficial in a lot of ways.”
Mullen can be followed on Twitter @Mullen4Congress, his website mullenforindiana.com or on Facebook.
Follow staff writer Daniel Riordan on Twitter at @TUNews_Riordan
He can be reached at 574-267-3111, ext. 246.[[In-content Ad]]
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Mullen is the presumptive Democratic candidate to take on projected Republican primary winner Jackie Walorski for U.S. Representative Joe Donnelly’s 2nd congressional district seat.
Donnelly is vacating the seat to take on either incumbent Richard Lugar or State Treasurer Richard Mourdock in the fall’s U.S. Senate race.
Mullen stopped by the Times-Union building in Warsaw to discuss his general election campaign, his support from veterans and his “common sense” solutions for the 2nd district and the country.
Mullen, 35, is a South Bend native, Army combat veteran and graduate from West Point.
Mullen, while in some polls trailing Walorski early on in the general election, has consistently been able to raise enough money to compete with his Republican foe.
He’s also pleased with his organization.
“We’ve knocked on 9,000 doors, we’ve made 12,000 calls,” said Mullen. “We have an organization of 70 volunteers.”
Mullen also outraised Walorski in fundraising in the first quarter of 2012 with more than $242,000.
Mullen is also garnering the support of his party nationally as evidenced by a recent stop by Vice President Joe Biden to do some fundraising in Lake County.
It can also be seen in a March fundraiser for Walorski where Republican strategist Karl Rove, a former advisor to President George W. Bush, was on hand to stump for Walorski.
“I just want to get stuff done,” said Mullen. “We’re being directly attacked by the national Republicans. We’ve had Karl Rove participating. But we’re out here running a transparent, open campaign to learn what people’s issues are.”
Mullen has stopped at coffee shops to assisted living centers and everywhere in between the 10-county district, which includes part of Kosciusko County to sell his message of common sense solutions.
The South Bend native points to his experience as a small business owner and not being a career politician as what is drawing voters to him.
He owns a consulting and information technology firm that, according to his website, employs more than 110 people.
He also said Walorski herself is drawing voters away from her.
“Their concerns are the strident voice, the finger in your face, the bickering attitude,” said Mullen of what voters have said they don’t like about Walorski.
“But I’m focused on us,” said Mullen. “The team we’ve built I’m extremely proud of,” said Mullen. “I’m extremely proud of the way we’ve done things. I’m thrilled with the positive campaign we’re sticking by.”
“We’ve hit every inch of this district and more and more people are coming out of the woodwork,” said Mullen.
“Whether it’s in Elkhart, Kosciusko or Wabash counties, people have the same concerns, we’ve been a country at war for a decade. They want congress to work together. They’re worried about jobs,” said Mullen. “And we need to take a clear-eyed, cold-hearted look as we face the future.”
Mullen points to his military service and the fact that he does so well in fundraising as one of his proudest aspects of his campaign.
“In this journey, the most gratifying thing is when I get a campaign contribution with an APOE address,” said Mullen. “That means it’s coming from the foothills of the Kandahar Mountains.”
Mullen said he served with soldiers who he graduated with from West Point who are still overseas.
Mullen served in Operation Iraqi Freedom where he helped train Iraqi Security Forces.
He acknowledged the issues facing the country like the precarious status of Medicare and Social Security are daunting.
“Right now, with those programs it’s not about just making sure it’s there for our kids and our grandkids but for those who are on it right now,” said Mullen.
Mullen said he is driven to grow the country’s middle class and bring jobs back to the country.
Though those results won’t happen as a result of things like Rep. Paul Ryan’s Path to Prosperity plan, said Mullen.
Mullen equated it as essentially a “robbing Peter to pay Paul” plan which shifts money out of the middle class to big business and those in the top 1 percent.
He especially wanted to see veterans returning from places like Iraq and Afghanistan to have a chance at a job or to better their education.
He applauded President Barack Obama’s administration for passing the 9/11 GI bill.
And despite the fact that Kosciusko County is historically the most Republican county in the state, Mullen said Wednesday’s visit will not be his last to Kosciusko County.
“We’re going to compete in all 10 counties,” said Mullen. “And we’re going to listen to people’s concerns.
Locally, those concerns of farmers and small businesses who feel stifled by agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency are something Mullen wants to listen to.
“We know that government can overreach in a lot of aspects,” said Mullen. “But we also have to communicate that government is beneficial in a lot of ways.”
Mullen can be followed on Twitter @Mullen4Congress, his website mullenforindiana.com or on Facebook.
Follow staff writer Daniel Riordan on Twitter at @TUNews_Riordan
He can be reached at 574-267-3111, ext. 246.[[In-content Ad]]
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