GeekPol's evil twin

Ahh, the Bloody 8th

Having been a resident of Indiana for 5+ years, I familiarized myself with the state's members of Incongruous. My own rep for most of that time was one Ed Pease, who was one of the more inoffensive members of the GOP and was only in Congress for 4 years. On redistricting, Indiana lost a seat and his district was essentially folded into the more odious Steve Buyer's district and into the 8th, represented by John Hostettler.

Well, at least Lafayette got the less offensive congressman out of the deal. Hostettler, to put it lightly, is a religiously oriented Conservative Kook. I hesitate to call him Christian, because, to paraphrase Johnny Cash about those self-professed Christians who would abandon him for playing in front of the killers and felons of Folsom Prison, Hostettler ain't Christian. One of his favorite tropes is the usual thought-free assertion shared by many conservative religious types that the Jews killed Jesus. Feh. The crucifixion was about some religious leaders running scared that Jesus was a challenge to their power. Offering Jesus up to the Romans for crucifixion had nothing to do with their Jewishness, it had to do with them wanting to keep their power. If Hostettler were living in the times of Jesus, he'd be one of those sent by Caiaphas running to get the nails.

It appears that he's now already gotten the GOP smear meachine in gear to get his opponent, Vanderburgh County sheriff Brad Ellsworth. Specifically, he sent the attack dogs after Ellsworth's daughter, who apparently had been pictured holding a beer at a college party. Some influence peddler claiming close contact with Hostettler gave those pictures to his campaign, who promptly attacked Ellsworth and his daughter over them.

Hat tip to Atrios.