INDIANAPOLIS – Five days into a week-and-a-half long recess, Congressman Messer has not held a single event in the state, nor has he announced plans to, despite numerous issues to discuss with his constituents and a U.S. Senate campaign to run.
After its last set of votes this past Friday, the House of Representatives adjourned until October 23 for recess, formally known as a District Work Period – when, as the name implies, Members of Congress are expected to work in their district. That would apply doubly for someone who, like Congressman Messer, is actively running for higher office and will face voters across the state next May.
Yet while his colleagues in the Indiana congressional delegation, including his opponent for the GOP nomination, have been spotted back in the district, Congressman Messer has yet to show up anywhere.
No news article appears to have mentioned Congressman Messer’s appearance at any event in an official or campaign capacity this week. Neither his campaign or official social media presences mention any events he’s held, attended or has coming up this week, and nor do any press releases hosted on his website. Notably, Congressman Messer skipped the Allen County GOP’s Reagan Bean Dinner, a major event for GOP senate candidates where even his opponent Andrew Takami made it up from southern Indiana to speak.
It’s unclear whether Congressman Messer is in the state at all, if he’s still in D.C., at his home in in McLean, VA, or somewhere else. Neither Congressman Messer’s congressional office nor his campaign have said why he hasn’t made a public appearance this week.
“Congressman Messer’s utter absence would be puzzling for any Member of Congress, let alone one running for the U.S. Senate,” said Will Baskin-Gerwitz, Senior Media Strategist for the Indiana Democratic Party. “Where is Congressman Messer? As Joe Donnelly has shown, Indiana voters want a Senator who represents them with hard work and Hoosier common sense – disappearing when you’re supposed to be back home again in Indiana shows neither. If you need a break with 13 months still to go, maybe this isn’t for you.”
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