Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Democrats’ state tour starts in city
Former U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly, Indiana House Minority Leader Phil GiaQuinta, Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry, and Fort Wayne City Councilor Sharon Tucker to headline kickoff event in Fort Wayne
More than 30 counties – ranging from large urban centers to rural communities – are holding conversations with Hoosiers about how the American Rescue Plan is making a direct contribution to their families and communities
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, announced this week will be the launch of the statewide American Rescue Plan Tour, an effort to help deliver the good news about President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 relief package and how it’s helping all of Indiana’s 92 counties and its communities’ put the pandemic firmly in the rearview mirror. Hoosiers will also learn how not one Indiana Republican elected official voted to support the Rescue Plan despite the law delivering $5.8 billion in relief to the state, Indiana’s schools receiving $2 billion in aid, and more than $250 million being used to expand broadband internet access across Indiana.
The American Rescue Plan Tour will kick off in Fort Wayne, Indiana where former U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly, Indiana House Minority Leader Phil GiaQuinta, and Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry will detail just how the Rescue Plan is providing a direct contribution to Fort Wayne and Allen County communities — which includes approximately $73 million for Allen County, $50 million for Fort Wayne, $3 million for New Haven, and $130 million for schools in Allen County.
WHAT: American Rescue Plan Tour
WHO: Former U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly
Indiana House Minority Leader Phil GiaQuinta
Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry
WHEN: 5:00 PM, June 3, 2021
WHERE: Allen County Courthouse
715 S Calhoun Street
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
“The Indiana Democratic Party is delivering for Indiana and for Hoosiers in every one of the state’s 92 counties, regardless of voting history or current political persuasion. We’re showing up and getting to work on behalf of every family and community because solutions matter so much more than tired partisan games,” said Mike Schmuhl, Chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party. “President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan is helping Indiana and its families rebuild from COVID-19, and Democrats are ready to push back against Republican misinformation and detail why the right partnerships between our federal and state governments can deliver major successes for Indiana’s future. This is what the American Rescue Plan is doing for the Hoosier State.”
“Allen County is a priority county for the Indiana Democratic Party, and we are thrilled to see the statewide American Rescue Plan tour kick off right here in Fort Wayne. The launch of the tour means Hoosiers in Northeast Indiana will begin to hear about how President Joe Biden and Indiana Democrats are helping this community put COVID-19 in the rearview mirror,” said Derek Camp, Chairman of the Allen County Democratic Party. “This is a crucial step in having Allen County become a stronger voice in statewide Democratic politics, and we look forward to celebrating the community-driven success elected leaders like Mayor Tom Henry and Minority Leader Phil GiaQuinta have had for Hoosier families across our city and county.”
According to recent polling, rural Hoosiers have heard the least about the Rescue Plan and what it delivers for Indiana. This means they are less likely to have heard about the direct aid the COVID relief package is bringing to their families and communities. The American Rescue Plan Tour will solve this problem as Indiana Democrats will crisscross the state through the month of June with more than 30 counties committed to attending or hosting tour stops across the state. Additional tour dates will be forthcoming, but the tour will fulfill a commitment by the Indiana Democratic Party to campaign in all of Indiana’s 92 counties and to meet Hoosier where they are on today’s most pressing issues.
In contrast, the Indiana Republican Party doubled down on its extreme partisanship by voting “no” on the American Rescue Plan last March. In fact, despite accepting the cash and promoting popular policies of the relief package – Republicans like U.S. Senator Mike Braun are actively rooting against the success of the law and Indiana’s recovery from COVID-19. Hoosiers should expect nothing less from the INGOP, because it’s become clear they are struggling with an identity crisis and would rather base their agenda on a partisan litmus test aimed to appeal to an unpopular, out-of-office, one-term president. This crusade by Indiana Republicans is rooted in misinformation, is wasting taxpayer dollars, and is hurting our state’s future in the process.
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