By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Donald Rainwater defended himself against recent attacks from Republicans during a stop in Warsaw Friday.
Rainwater faces Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Braun and Democrat Jennifer McCormick in the Nov. 5 race for governor.
A recent mailer from the Indiana Republican Party’s state committee described Rainwater as a “Perennial loser and deadbeat dad,” and called him “an embarrassment.”
The mailer accuses Rainwater of losing custody of his child, failing to pay child support and being held in contempt by a judge, according to a story recently posted by Indiana Capital Chronicle.
He said he was divorced about 30 years ago and then lost his job.
He said he believes the Braun campaign wants to win more than 50 percent of the vote so they can claim a mandate ahead of legislative pursuits.
In a three-way race, he thinks Braun is struggling to reach that plateau.
“What they’re doing is having trouble earning votes so they feel like they have to disparage me a little bit to take votes from me,” Rainwater said while standing outside of the Libertarian tent in downtown Warsaw Friday during the annual Spooktacular Halloween event.
He said he thinks the GOP state committee has “stretched the facts,” but did not elaborate.
He admits he struggled with finances, family issues and career difficulties in the 1990s.
“I think a lot of Hoosiers have experienced those types of things. I’ve fought hard to fight through those, to fight my way out of that and I fought my way into rebuilding my life in a way that I’m very proud of,” he said.
Rainwater finished third statewide and lost to Republican Eric Holcomb in 2020 with 11 percent of the vote but collected 19 percent in Kosciusko County and finished second in the general election ahead of Democrat candidate Woody Meyers.
