Fox optimistic about race

Melina Fox is optimistic.

Though incumbent Republican Mike Pence won re-election to Congress two years ago with 64 percent of the Sixth District vote, Fox believes the numbers are far from discouraging.

“The Sixth District is the sleeper,” Fox said in an interview last weekend. “There’s only about a 20,000 vote difference” between registered Republicans and registered Democrats. That means getting out the vote and energizing the party base will be critical.”

In 2002, Fox said, voters were still recovering from the shock of 9/11 and tended to rally around the incumbent.

“Not so this year,” she said. “There is a lot of anger out there.”

Fox, a rural Greensburg resident, has degrees in sociology and political science from Purdue University and a master’s degree in secondary education from Indiana University. She has served on the Farm Service Agency state committee and on the Indiana Intelenet Commission.

“There’s just a totally different attitude out there this election,” she said. “I’m more optimistic this time than last time.” She noted that a “Republicans for Fox” group had organized this year, reflecting dissatisfaction with Pence. “This is not the party they have known,” Fox said.

“One of my missions this campaign is that I’m disturbed that 38 to 50 million women aren’t voting,” she added. She’s hoping to connect with women voters and get them to the polls on her behalf.

“Health care and jobs, that’s what’s on people’s minds in this district,” she said. “It’s the quality of life issues.”

“I’m gonna listen to the voters. Women listen better ... I’m going to be their voice in Washington, not Tom DeLay’s or Karl Rove’s,” she added, referring to the House Majority Leader and an adviser to President Bush.[[In-content Ad]]