Libertarian Lucy Brenton is fighting for the seat of Democratic Incumbent Sen. Joe Donnelly in Indiana. While she may not be topping the polls, she has the support of marijuana legalization advocates across the US, due to her vocal and clear views on the issue.
Brenton’s stance is that marijuana should be legalized at the federal level, and the drug should not be a reason for harassment for US residents as a whole. Especially in Indiana, she believes both recreational and medicinal marijuana should be legal. Her perspective is this: the drug has never caused an overdose, and its benefits for medical use have been proven over and over in scientific studies.
Brenton also believes the individuals who have been jailed on marijuana-related charges should be released and have records expunged, provided they are nonviolent. She says these individuals deserve the chance to be productive and contribute to society, rather than be locked away.
Brenton’s opponents for the seat are Donnelly and Republican Mike Braun. Donnelly supported the bipartisan VA Medicinal Cannabis Research act in early 2018, and he notes that safe alternative treatments for veterans should be further explored.
Meanwhile, Braun has been tight-lipped on his potential support for legalization. However, he does publicly state the observation that the states should retain the responsibility for the decision.
Brenton’s hopes to win the seat are slim to none. Her recognition was minimal. Her run has been balanced with her daily work life in finance and sales and her home life as a mother of 10, grandmother of two and wife to a hopeful for the seat of Hamilton County Sheriff.
However, Brenton does have a potential impact. Her run means votes that won’t go to either the Republican or Democratic ticket. Depending on the voters she sways, that impact can be favourable or detrimental to incumbent Donnelly. Braun has his own potential interference, as current polls showed him in the lead, by exactly the margin of error. This means his fight is far from over, and the results at the polls could fall in either camp.
Brenton previously ran for Senate as well, fighting for the seat in the 2016 election and garnering 5.5% of the vote.
About Author
The opinions provided in this article are those of the author and do not constitute investment advice. Readers should assume that the author and/or employees of Grizzle hold positions in the company or companies mentioned in the article. For more information, please see our Content Disclaimer.