SYRACUSE - Dr. Jennifer McCormick and Keith Potts were guests aboard the SS Lillypad Sunday afternoon for the seventh annual Summer Fun with Kosciusko Democrats.

McCormick is running for governor and Potts is seeking the Democrat nomination for U.S. Senate. Marc Carmichael, who is also seeking the Democrat nomination for U.S. Senate, was unable to participate in the cruise due to a family commitment. However, Carmichael spent time talking with and meeting guests prior to the cruise.McCormick, former Indiana superintendent of public instruction, along with Potts, Indianapolis city councilman, spent their time during the two-hour cruise greeting and talking with nearly 100 guests. Each were given a few moments to address the crowd.
McCormick, who spent time growing up on Little Tippy, announced, “I have officially launched and I'm going to win.” She said it was good to be back in the area. “There's always so many positive things happening here and there's so many great people that make it happen.”
She spoke of the need to have “someone in the state house who is a public servant and not a politician. It is time we stop the divisiveness and bring back common sense and stability and bipartisanship. It is time we have someone who aligns the values of the majority of Hoosiers in order to make things happen with really great solutions.”
The former Republican spoke regarding her transition to the Democrat party. “It was easy,” she said. “I took in values of public service, empowering people and also excellence in government. What I learned quickly was that is not the way the GOP party was going, then or for any time in the near future … so for me it is easy.”
McCormick said it was about value alignment, which party is going to take care of people. “That means access to child care. That means universal pre-K, my God we've talked about that for decades.”
She stated there is a very purposeful movement to defund publication education, where 90-plus percent of the kids are sitting in a public education environment.
“To defund that is ridiculous. It also takes your tax dollars up, so they're taking away from your community schools so the money's going away. But your taxes are still going up. The system is designed to provide subsidiaries for very, very wealthy people that is not right,” she said.
The gubernatorial candidate said she has heard across the state people are nervous about healthcare. Noting candidates for the federal senate campaign will be fighting for that issue, so is she to see that healthcare rights are protected for women, LGBTQ, families and employees. “That also means we have to be honest about mental health and substance abuse and quit pretending it's only a family issue, when it's all our issue collectively.”
She noted the disparity in wages throughout the state. “We're getting worse. That separation and disparity is getting larger and larger. But we can change that. But we have to make sure we have a governor who is in office that is lifting up our unions, who is also having conversations with our small businesses who are also feeling it, making sure we are focused on the employees.”
She said people are concerned people are not going back to work because they have no place to send their children.
She touched on honest conversations regarding housing, not only affordable housing, but middle range housing and safety.
“We can pretend all day long that safety is not an issue in our schools, in our shopping areas, in our hospitals, in our homes, on the streets. It's a problem. So let's have some honest conversations about sensible gun laws … safe way to store, there's a common sense way to say do we really need a military machine gun on the streets?” She noted the rhetoric of “not taking my guns away” needs to stop.
“People want their kids to be safe, you want to be safe … I'm going to change it. It can be changed.” McCormick closed by stating, “I promise to work as hard as I can for all of you. It will be tireless. I'm going to give every waking hour to all of you.”

Potts noted he is the guy who is going to keep “Jim Banks from ever stepping foot in the United States Senate.” He pointed out the Republicans threw out their rule book and endorsed Banks as the person at the top of their ticket.“I don't know about you, but I don't want to be a part of a party who wants Jim Banks being their standard buyer.” He stated Banks voted to decertify votes in the 2020 election and in this go-around Banks is doing backroom deals so people won't have a voice in the primary. “That fight against democracy that they are fighting, that's a fight against every single one of us. Regardless what party you're from, what part of the state, that's against every single one of us.”
Potts stated the essential thing with his campaign is the word freedom. “Freedom means the freedom to make your own healthcare decisions. Freedom means, the freedom to have your kids at school feeling safe from gun violence. Freedom means your freedom to feel safe in your community … freedom means protecting democracy, your freedom to vote … what I stand for.”
Potts stated he was elected to the Indianapolis council in 2020 and won with 61.5% of the vote. “It's fun when you have experienced turning a set from red to blue. That's what we need going into 2024.”
Prior to the cruise, Carmichael stated he is seeking election for his four granddaughters. “I don't want them to grow up to be second-class citizens and I'm afraid if Jim Banks is the U.S. senator, that they will always be second-class citizens.
“I'm running basically for my granddaughters, everybody's granddaughters, for women in Indiana who are second-class citizens and are tired of it. I'm running for those LGBTQ kids who are suffering from hate crimes from the Indiana Legislature. I want to go and codify Medicare for all children, including LGBTQ kids. I'm tired of them being used as political pawns.”
Carmichael also wants to try to get assault rifles off the streets and in the hands of military where they belong. “I want to try to clean up the environment before its too hot to live on this planet,” he said.
Carmichael concluded that he feels he is the best choice and is someone who is going to go there and do the job, like President Joe Biden. “It's not a dumpster fire every day and I think with Jim Banks you're going to get a dumpster fire every day and somebody that is more interested in being on Fox News than sitting in a committee hearing trying to make America a better place to live.”
Vicki Morton, county Democrat chair, introduced the party officers as well as recognized sponsors, several volunteers and several candidates for upcoming small town elections. Additionally, Morton noted some upcoming events for the party, such as having a tent at Third Friday Aug. 18, and other ways help is needed by the local party.