Ellsworth: “It’s Not Over”
U.S. Senate candidate Brad Ellsworth tells me that any Democrats who think he is giving up and conceding the race to Dan Coats are mistaken.
At a breakfast meeting this morning with the Marion County Democratic Chairman’s Club, an organization for large contributors, sources say Ellsworth virtually admitted the race for the Senate was over. And reportedly told the gathering of Democrats there was no way he could win against Dan Coats.
In a phone conversation this afternoon, Ellsworth told me some members of the party may have gotten the wrong impression and he won’t concede until the last votes are counted. He says he understands Democrats are feeling nervous, but the early voting data he’s seen says the race still looks good for him. He admitted to being a bit candid on the stump when he told the crowd that morning that if his votes he took on health care and the stimulus package don’t get him elected, then so be it.
He says he didn’t mean to leave the audience with the impression that he was giving up. He described his mood to me as “optimistic, but also realistic.” He says everyone just needs to stay calm and focused on November 2.
The latest public polling on the race has shown Coats leading Ellsworth 54-32. Rebecca Sink-Burris, the Libertarian candidate is polling at 7%.
