Democrats pulled off some real surprises in Tuesday’s elections, perhaps none bigger than in Indiana State Senate District 11. That’s where Democrat Gabrianna Gratzol beat Republican Dr. Brian Schmutzler.
Gratzol is an Elkhart factory worker. Schmutzler is a Granger anesthesiologist. He was one of the Trump-endorsed Republicans who in the GOP primary beat incumbent Republicans who wouldn’t go along with Trump’s redistricting push.
Gratzol’s campaign spent $13,000. Schmutlzer’s spent $627,000.
“(Voters are) kind of disgusted by it because they’re looking around at the price of gas and the cost of groceries and the cost of everything going up, and seeing hundreds of thousands of dollars in a campaign fund and millions coming from Super PACs (political action committees), and their first question is, what could all of that money be spent for to make our lives better?”
Gratzol says she worked hard on her campaign knocking on doors while working 60-hour weeks at the factory. But she says her win doesn’t mean she can rest. She knows she’s flipped a district that’s been held by a Republican since 1978.
“For them to diverge, for them to choose to give someone else a try, it just strengthens my commitment to making sure that once I take that seat, I don’t let down the people who are counting on me.”
