National podcaster & Iraq War veteran endorses Ballard

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Ballard

Iraq War veteran and national political commentator and podcaster Paul Rieckhoff has endorsed Greg Ballard for Indiana Secretary of State. He announced the endorsement during an interview with the former two-term Indianapolis mayor and retired Marine lieutenant colonel on his podcast, Independent Americans.

“You have my endorsement,” Rieckhoff told Ballard. “We want you to win, but getting on that ballot and securing that space for the movement is also very important here.”

Rieckhoff founded Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. He now works to elect independent veterans to office through Independent Veterans of America. He appears regularly as a commentator on national television news networks, including CNN.

The episode with Rieckhoff and Ballard, “Hope in the Heartland,” focused on what Ballard’s campaign means beyond Indiana. In particular, it looked at the campaign’s potential to establish the Lincoln Party and open the door for future independent candidates. The Lincoln Party would have ballot access in Indiana for the next four years if Ballard receives at least 2 percent of the vote.

“This is one that has national implications and real implications for the movement,” Rieckhoff said, calling Indiana “an important epicenter for what’s happening in our independent movement.”

Ballard, a retired U.S. Marine, discussed how more competitive general elections could reduce the polarization driving voters away from both parties.

“We think the toxicity, the heated rhetoric, the name-calling, all of this that’s going on, the parties have lost their way,” Ballard said. “But if we have competitive general elections in November, we think all of that reduces dramatically and may even stop.”

Watch the full interview at this link.

Learn more about the candidate at GregBallard.com.