HAMMOND | Hardship among Northwest Indiana industry and its workers will headline U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton's talk in the region today, supporters of the Democratic presidential candidate said Thursday.
Clinton's town hall-style meeting at the Hammond Civic Center will help prove Clinton is "not taking any Hoosier vote for granted," former Indiana Secretary of State Joe Hogsett said.
For the first time in 40 years, Indiana is a Democratic battlefield state. Clinton has been traveling the state to gather support ahead of Indiana's May 6 primary, where she'll fight U.S. Sen. Barack Obama for 72 delegates.
"It's the first time in 40 years that anyone cares what we think," former Indiana Governor Joe Kernan said. "Votes here will count."
Kernan and Hogsett want those to be votes for Clinton, whom they praise for her understanding of economic troubles afflicting Hoosiers.
"There is no question the importance of steel and the steel industry to the people of Northwest Indiana," Hogsett said. "She will tailor (her talk) very thoughtfully to the challenges to Northwest Indiana and speak to those issues."
Hogsett said he did not expect Clinton to unveil any new policy proposals but that she would discuss the need for good trade relationships and changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA.
The United Steelworkers have not endorsed a candidate since their first choice, South Carolina Sen. John Edwards, dropped out of the race in January.
United Steelworkers District 7 director Jim Robinson said his group is paying close attention.
"We are encouraging both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to address the trade issues that have been so devastating to American workers," Robinson said. "We would like the candidates especially to address how they intend to deal with China."
Meanwhile Thursday, Obama released his first television Indiana-targeted ad focusing on labor concerns within the steel industry.
The commercial features the Illinois senator in front of a shuttered Chicago steel mill as he promises to "fix trade laws" and touts his history helping "workers whose lives were torn apart when steel plants like this one left town."
Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr., a Clinton supporter, said he is honored to be hosting her meeting and that he lobbied hard to do so.
Gary Mayor Rudy Clay announced Wednesday that Clinton would be visiting his city, but her campaign later states that Hammond will be Clinton's only stop in the region.
Clinton Indiana spokesman Jonathan Swain said the choice to pass over Gary had nothing to do with Clay's endorsement of Obama.
"We knew that well ahead of time," Swain said. "We know she has a lot of support in Gary, despite his endorsement."
Clinton is expected to open as many as 20 campaign offices statewide over the next couple of weeks, possibly starting this weekend, Hogsett said.
Obama's campaign is set to open 10 offices, including one in Gary on Saturday. Obama, who first visited Indiana a couple of weeks ago in Plainfield, will be back and in Northwest Indiana, supporters said Thursday.
"He'll definitely be here," said Nick Kimball, Indiana spokesman for the Obama campaign.
