https://progressiveindiana.net
SUMMARY:
Keil Roark, Democratic candidate for Indiana’s 9th Congressional District, presents himself as a moderate centrist who can win crossover votes from independents and disenfranchised Republicans in this conservative district. A former UAW assembly-line worker, Navy Reserve officer, and Purdue engineering graduate now at Rolls-Royce, Roark campaigns on affordability and raising wages to match inflation. He supports increasing the federal minimum wage to $12-15 and pegging it to inflation, takes a cautious “need to research it” stance on Medicare for All, opposes expanding the Supreme Court (fears endless tit-for-tat additions), and advocates reforming but not abolishing ICE. Roark takes traditional conservative positions on transgender rights, opposing updated IDs or bathroom access matching gender expression. He models himself after Joe Manchin and John Fetterman, explicitly positioning himself as the centrist candidate best positioned to win the general election against more progressive primary opponents who he believes won’t appeal to the 20-30% of Republican voters Democrats need to flip this seat.
QUESTIONS:
4:51 - AFFORDABILITY: HOW DO WE RAISE WAGES AND LOWER COSTS?
- Raise federal minimum wage from $7.25 (unchanged since 2009) to $12-13 range, Virginia just moved to $15
- Advocate for folks to go into skilled trades (pipe fitters, plumbers, electricians) facing worker shortage as boomers retire
- These trades pay well traditionally and are in dire need
8:56 - WHAT SHOULD THE MINIMUM WAGE BE?
- Would start negotiations at $18/hour to land at $14-15 range accounting for political reality
- Economists say it should be $25-30, but bipartisan legislation is difficult to pass
- Adjusted for 1-2% inflation year-over-year calculation yields $12-13
12:01 - SHOULD MINIMUM WAGE BE PEGGED TO INFLATION?
- Yes, treat it like Social Security with automatic cost of living adjustments
- Problem is numbers aren’t changing over time while dollar value changes 2-3% annually
- Would advocate for automatic adjustments so we don’t go another 15+ years without raises
13:05 - CHRISTINE ASKS: HOW ABOUT HEALTHCARE FOR PEOPLE?
- Need to address drug pricing caps, look at what Biden did capping insulin at $35
- Pursue legislation forcing pharmaceutical companies to lower prices on certain drugs
- Would go after drug companies and health insurance companies driving up costs
16:26 - MEDICARE FOR ALL / SINGLE-PAYER HEALTHCARE?
- Would need to research it carefully, doesn’t have best answer
- Acknowledges studies show more people with healthcare means premiums come down
- Concerned about cost and coverage quality—if too costly people will drop it or coverage won’t be good
18:35 - SHOULD DEMOCRATS PURSUE IMPEACHMENT OF TRUMP?
- Would need to pick offense most likely to get 67 Senate votes, otherwise exercise in futility
- Would consider going after Pam Bondi more than Trump—she’s “easier prey”
- Bondi giving orders to pardon folks, violating rule of law as Attorney General
23:58 - WOULD YOU SUPPORT EXPANDING THE SUPREME COURT?
- No—opposes court packing, worried about “snowball effect” where each administration adds justices
- Takes “long view”—Democrat 2028-2036, then Republican adds two, Democrat adds two, etc.
- Instead supports impeaching corrupt justices (happened in 1920s, threatened in late 60s/early 70s)
27:39 - WHO WAS BEST U.S. PRESIDENT OF 20TH CENTURY?
- John F. Kennedy—”truly inspirational president”
- Tenure cut short by assassination
- (Note: Asked to limit to 20th century to avoid easy Lincoln/Washington answers)
31:41 - DATA CENTERS: SHOULD WE SLOW DOWN, PAUSE CONSTRUCTION?
- Counties like Dearborn working on moratoriums, Franklin County might already have one
- Two problems: (1) Requiring NDAs—not disclosing funding sources or construction workers; (2) No value proposition for communities
- Data centers should pay communities percentage of revenues annually like Alaska oil royalties
35:17 - WOULD YOU SUPPORT A WEALTH TAX ON BILLIONAIRES?
- “Absolutely. All day long. Absolutely.”
- Pick the number—$1 billion, $2.6 billion, $7.4 billion threshold
- Calls current wealth concentration “most absurd thing I’ve ever heard in my life”
38:27 - SHOULD U.S. CONTINUE SUPPLYING ISRAEL WITH OFFENSIVE WEAPONS?
- Doesn't claim to be expert on Middle East peace—conflict cycles every few years going back to his childhood
- Gives Trump credit for current ceasefire and path toward peace agreement (though hard to give him credit)
- Supplying offensive weapons to Israel undermines peace negotiations—providing aid to one party offends the other
41:14 - RAE ASKS: WOULD YOU ACCEPT MONEY FROM AIPAC?
- Would reject AIPAC money—doesn't know where it's coming from, not familiar with his union/campaign goals
- Uses shell organizations to obscure funding sources
- Would consider PAC support only if based on his policy positions (affordability, tech training, banning congressional stock trading)
42:35 - WOULD YOU ACCEPT CORPORATE PAC MONEY?
- Can't answer definitively—"it depends"
- Some nonprofit corporations support unions, would need to evaluate case-by-case
- Not a blanket yes or no on corporate PACs
43:53 - YOUR POSITION ON ICE?
- ICE acting unprofessionally, Secretary should be fired and agency reorganized
- However, opposes abolishing ICE—federal/local law enforcement collaboration necessary for public safety
- Cities should cooperate with ICE to arrest illegal immigrants with warrants, give them due process
49:39 - TRANSGENDER RIGHTS: UPDATING GOVERNMENT IDS?
- Opposes allowing trans people to update IDs (driver’s license, birth certificate) to match gender expression
- “If you were born a male, you need to be identified as a male...need a reference point”
- Supports LGBTQ+ people’s right to be happy but wants birth sex on government documents
50:03 - WHICH RESTROOMS SHOULD TRANSGENDER PEOPLE USE?
- “Traditional view”—people should use restrooms matching birth sex regardless of presentation
- Says born male dressed as woman should use male stall; born female dressed as male should use female stall
- As father of three daughters, uncomfortable with “male in same room” even if presenting as woman
54:05 - WHICH CURRENT MEMBER OF CONGRESS DO YOU MOST ALIGN WITH?
- Used to be Joe Manchin (now independent), currently John Fetterman
- Also admires Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear (though not congressman)
- “Pretty moderate...in the middle, have some centrist traditional views”
55:13 - CLOSING PITCH
- “Definitely the best candidate” to win primary and general
- Can get crossover appeal from independents and disenfranchised Republicans (need 20-30% in 9th District)
- More progressive candidates won’t fare well in general; his centrist policies are best chance to beat Erin Houchin
More information about that candidate at https://www.keilroark.com/
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