Pastore cream of the crop in Indiana 1st

In a crowded field of contenders for this year’s republican primary in the 1st congressional district, there are several candidates that stand out. Among these are Mark Leyva, Pete Lindemulder, Rick Olson, and Rob Pastore. Leyva and Olson are Tea Party favorites. Pastore and Lindemulder are both local businessmen. At last Saturday’s Republican meet and greet all eight primary candidates were present, but these four stood out. Leyva has a solid grasp of the issues facing northwest Indiana, as well as name recognition from being Lake County’s perennial republican offering. Lindemulder is a first time candidate that has the ability to bring the necessary campaign funds to a race against the incumbent Pete Visclosky. Olson enjoys solid Tea Party backing because of his strict constitutional interpretation and limited government views. Olson also has a solid grasp of the financial difficulties facing the nation because of his career in the financial industry. However, that career may prove to be his Achilles heel in the general election given the current populist view of Wall Street. Pastore seems to strike the right balance. Rob is a first time candidate. But, Rob is also the former chairman of the Hammond Republican Party, so he does enjoy some name recognition among the handful of republicans in Hammond. Rob also has commanding grasp of the issues, and seems ready to challenge Visclosky on his misdealing while in congress. Although Pastore campaign is being run on a tight budget he seems to have found a way of focusing on small gatherings that should bring out dissatisfied republicans and some independents. Rob also seems to be getting some consideration from local Tea party groups that may carry him through the general election. All of these combined assets should help Rob Pastore rise to the top of a crowded field come May 4th.