Political landscape has changed

Wouldn’t you think that highly paid, high profile political consultants would do their homework?
Apparently that’s not the case.
The election landscape in Indiana changed a few elections back, but the sharpies behind the candidates haven’t caught on yet.
What’s changed? Early voting.
For weeks now, any registered voter who wandered into the Jay County Courthouse could cast his or her primary election ballot.
Has there been a flood of activity? No. But poll workers said 20 voters a day wasn’t an unusual volume.
Now think about that. Twenty — or even 10 — voters a day, several days a week, over several weeks. The numbers add up.
And when you multiply the early voting phenomenon across the state, you’re talking about a not-insignificant chunk of the electorate.
That’s why this week’s Ted Cruz-John Kasich clumsy pact to slow the momentum for Donald Trump looked especially foolish.
When voters are casting their ballots early, you can’t wait until the eve of Election Day to plot your strategy. It’s foolish.
Foolish too are the TV commercials arriving in a sudden flood this week.
Any voter still trying to make up his or her mind at this point either has pathological problems with decision-making or just needs to flip a coin.
Early voting has transformed this newspaper’s election coverage dramatically.
Interviews with local candidates and questionnaires were something to be dealt with weeks ago. They needed to appear in print so that early voters knew the candidates; they have remained online at TheCR.com so late deciders can do some last-minute homework.
The only ones who haven’t seemed to figure out that the landscape has changed are the political consultants. And, of course, the candidates themselves. — J.R.