Submitted
Robby Slaughter has filed as an independent candidate for the U.S. Congress to represent Indiana’s 5th District.
On Tuesday, he visited six election offices and dropped off forms totaling more than 5,500 signatures, which is beyond the threshold to appear on the general election ballot Nov. 5.
“This campaign is about the people of our district, and there is no better way to begin than by having direct, in-person conversations with over 5,000 individuals who all agree they want more choices on the ballot come November,” Slaughter said.
According to Slaughter, current trends indicate a strong opportunity for his run. The last non-partisan, independent candidate to run for U.S. Congress in Indiana was in 2010. Slaughter offers voters the opportunity to consider another choice.
Slaughter hands over binders filled with signatures to Hamilton County Election Administrator Beth Sheller. (Photo provided)
Slaughter brings decades of business and community experience to the campaign, breaking the belief that Representatives must have a background in professional politics. For two decades, he ran a national speakers bureau. He is the author of five business books and has presented at events ranging from intimate functions all the way to national conferences with more than 1,000 attendees.
Slaughter says that unlike party candidates who focus on partisan messaging, his campaign is grassroots and inclusive. Placing priority on being active in the community, he frequently attends town council meetings, craft fairs, and farmers markets. He is also often spotted at high school sporting events, concerts in public parks, community fundraisers, and ribbon cuttings for new businesses.
“Politics is about people,” Slaughter said. “My duty as a candidate is to be out with people from our district to listen and learn from them.”
According to Slaughter, Indiana’s 5th District is uniquely positioned to flip to an independent. Republican incumbent Victoria Spartz faced a tough primary, earning only 39 percent of the vote. Democratic candidate Deborah Pickett has only raised $4,000 in outside donations. Participation in the primary remained low, with approximately 80 percent of registered voters in the 5th District choosing not to vote for a party candidate.
According to Gallup, national polling on the question of non-party affiliation is at an all-time high: some 44 percent of voters consider themselves independent with the remainder evenly split between Republican and Democrat. Furthermore, according to the American Enterprise Institute, 37 percent of young men and 26 percent of young women have an unfavorable view of both parties.
Learn more about the candidate at RobbySlaughter.com.