Maynard heading home to Hoosier state for Obama

Metro Councilman Jerry Maynard (right) is making plans to spend two weeks campaigning for Sen. Barack Obama in Indiana in the weeks leading up to the presidential election.

At-large Councilman Jerry Maynard is planning to hit the road to volunteer for the Barack Obama presidential campaign.

Maynard will dedicate two weeks leading up the election to volunteer most likely in his home state of Indiana, which has become a surprising battleground this election cycle. Maynard is from South Bend, Ind.

“This time, it’s so important,” Maynard said. “I’d like to go to a state that is close so that if I go up there, the energy I bring, if I can just help deliver 100, 200, 1,000 votes, I can make a difference in winning that state for Barack Obama.”

Maynard said he has communicated with the Obama campaign about where his services would be most needed and has been told Indiana is looking like the most likely spot.

“They told me their internal polls are showing it close, within the margin of error,” Maynard said.

Maynard has experience working on campaigns, having served as the state outreach coordinator for John Kerry in 2004 and for Harold Ford Jr.’s Senate run in 2006. Both of those ended in defeat.

“The Obama campaign has changed the way presidential campaigns are run,” Maynard said. “His grassroots approach and use of the Internet, text messaging, blogs and most importantly neighbor-to-neighbor word of mouth.

“He’s built a community where people are talking and saying, ‘I live on your block, in your neighborhood and this is why I’m going to vote for Obama.’ That’s the most powerful campaign technique there is, better than radio or television ads.”

Maynard said he supported Obama enough to volunteer on his campaign because he believes an Obama presidency will benefit Nashville directly.

The first-term Council member pointed to properly funding No Child Left Behind, improving infrastructure and addressing the health care situation, which leaves an estimated 50 million uninsured as three key reasons for his support.