Democrat Lee Ann Mengelt, District 35 Indiana House candidate, was lonely on stage Thursday night.
Her appearance at the Citizens of Delaware County for Property Tax Repeal political forum was a rare sight at the event. She was the only Democrat candidate in attendance.
The Republican candidates representing the county, city and state level sat in every other seat and talked about taxes, jobs and how they affect Delaware County residents.
The Republicans candidates in attendance said a labor union event at Spring Water Park in Muncie drew the Democratic candidates from Thursday's forum.
"Every decision made is a strategic one," Ball State English professor and event moderator Larry Riley said. "[The Democrats] thought it was better for them to not be there."
Republican District 34 Indiana House Candidate Ted Baker had a different reason for why Dennis Tyler, his opponent, did not show up.
"It's about integrity," Baker said. "It's not a secret certain candidates are afraid of this crowd. This is about character; it's who I am."
Discussion of the Indiana property tax cap and the decision to make it a state constitutional amendment received the most heated debate.
Overall the state house candidates had one issue at their forefront.
"Jobs, jobs, jobs and jobs," Republican District 35 candidate Jack Lutz said.
Baker pushed Indiana's right-to-work status as his main issue. Right-to-work states allow workers to opt out of joining union contracts, something he said doesn't affect the collective bargaining of organized labor.
After the forum, Baker said college funding is an important issue to him because he is a Ball State graduate.
"It's a high priority to me to make college more affordable," Baker said. "President Gora has risen Ball State's status dramatically."
The Citizen group invited all the candidates in June, Chris Hiatt, president of the group, said.
"It was down from 300 or 400 last year," Hiatt said. "I think a lot of people already voted."
Looking out at the theater, Hiatt said he knew he wouldn't see any college students among the 50 people in attendance.
"I was disappointed, but not surprised," Hiatt said. "I would have loved to see a group of people from Ball State, but I wasn't expecting them to show up."
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