Incumbent Republican Congresswoman Jackie Walorski defeated Democrat Joe Bock by about a 20 percent margin in the race to represent Indiana’s second Congressional District.
The AP reports Walorski earned 85,119 votes, or 58.9 percent. Bock won 55,331 votes, or 38.3 percent.
“It’s so humbling to stand here and see what just happened,” Walorski said in an acceptance speech delivered around 8:40 p.m. Tuesday in South Bend, WSBT reported. “I want to thank every single one of you because I’ve told you so many times — it’s your seat, it belongs to you — it’s not mine, it’s yours.”
Sophomore Louis Bertolotti, director of political affairs for Notre Dame’s College Republicans said Walorski’s victory was the group’s “main success this year.”
“We were very, very, very content with people able to get Jackie Walorski in for another term,” he said Tuesday night. “She did a great job down in Washington, and she’s going to keep doing it.
“Joe Bock was not a very exciting candidate. People understood that, they really want what’s best for the county, for the district, and it’s all thanks to hard work and dedication, which is great.”
The South Bend Tribune reported Bock expressed disappointment over the outcome, especially the impact of campaign finances. Walorski outraised him by more than $1 million and outspent him by a 2-1 margin, according to the Tribune.
“Money is so dominant now in our political system it’s pathetic,” Bock said, according to the Tribune. “I can say I wish I would have had a better message or that I would have shook more hands, but the bottom line is I needed more money.”
The AP reported Indiana re-elected all nine incumbent U.S. House representatives for the first time since 1986.
“I’m just a small part in helping to turn this nation around, but I care so much — I love this district,” Walorski said, according to WSBT. “I said when I went to Congress I would take hard-working, Hoosier common sense and values, and I did. And I’m going to go back there with the same kind of passion and conviction that I carry on behalf of the greatest district in the United States of America. I’m going to go there and continue to fight for Hoosiers, fight for jobs, fight to get the government off the backs of our companies and to do what you elected me to do.”
College Republicans officers and members involved with Election Day attended the victory celebration for Walorski. Senior Mark Gianfalla, president of College Republicans, said they were happy to see her success.
“It just goes to show you that she’s doing a great job in the House, and they were rewarded in this district, which we’re happy to see,” he said Tuesday night. “The House leadership … had a lot of great things to say about her.
“She’s done a lot for the local residents. … She goes to both sides of the aisle in voting and getting bills passed, which is fantastic.”
Volunteers from the Bock campaign were less exuberant, but still expressed pride in Bock’s effort.
“I think the Bock campaign put on a good fight,” College Democrats co-president junior Michelle McCarthy said. “I think this district has been real hard for a democrat to win … but I think Joe Bock tried to get at issues that are really important to a lot of Americans.
“Jackie Walorski had a lot of money — you know, campaigns these days are so expensive … and that’s how politics works nowadays. But overall, I think it was a good campaign, and I’m really proud to have worked on it.”
