An Early Scalp for Drug Reformers?
My native state Indiana closes its polls at 6 pm. In the past, that and the state's reliably Republican electorate have made it the first state the networks call—generally around 6:01.
This year, the Hoosier state is a toss-up. But drug war opponents should keep an eye on the state's third district, where incumbent GOP Rep. Mark Souder looks to be in trouble. Souder is the ranking Republican on the House Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy, and Human Resources, which oversees federal drug policy. He has made continuing the drug war with Nixon-Reagan vigor one of his pet issues.
Souder once compared the use of medical marijuana to rape and child abuse. He added a provision to the Higher Ed act that would bar students convicted of any drug crime from receiving federal student loans. He has mocked medical marijuana patients, and cheered the DEA's war on prescription painkillers. Oh, and he had his butt handed to him a while back while defending those awful ONDCP ads on Tucker Carlson's MNSBC show.
Challenger Michael Montagno appears to be closing. Might be the makings of an early gift for drug reformers tonight.