Being an election year, your phone, no doubt, is ringing off the hook from dozens of political organizations asking for donations. But here’s the thing the political parties fail to realize: it’s not about the money. It’s about the platform and the message.

Case in point, last fall’s race for mayor of Indianapolis:

[Retired Marine Greg} Ballard overcame little name recognition, a sizable mid-September polling deficit and a more than 12-1 fundraising disadvantage to pull off one of the biggest upsets in modern Indiana election history. He beat Democrat Bart Peterson 50.4 percent to 47.2 percent to become the first challenger in 40 years to unseat an Indianapolis mayor.

Read the full story here: Noblesville News - Obscure retired Marine battles taxes, shakes up Indy politics