While campaigning for Congress last year, Granger Democrat Joe Donnelly essentially built his bid around two arguments.

First, that then-U.S. Rep. Chris Chocola had been a "rubber stamp," siding with virtually all Bush administration policies during the past four years. And second, that Donnelly himself would bring independent thinking rather than party loyalty to office.

More than six months into his freshman term, Donnelly has gained a measure of recognition for his votes in the House, where he has broken rank with fellow Democrats on issues ranging from Iraq to stem-cell research.

"I'm proud to be a Democrat, but I'm even more proud to be from Indiana and represent the 2nd Congressional District," said Donnelly, who represents part of Elkhart County. "I've kept my word that I'd be an independent voice for the district."

Donnelly's conservative-leaning stance on some fiscal and national security issues gained him entry into the Blue Dog Coalition of centrist House Democrats. The group named him Blue Dog of the Week in March for his work to build bipartisan support for a bill furnishing small businesses with $1.3 billion in tax cuts.

More recently, the Capitol Hill newspaper Congressional Quarterly deemed Donnelly one of the 10 House Democrats most likely to buck the party leadership. He ranked fourth among first-term congressmen on the list, which analyzed about 250 floor votes this year that featured a clear party line.

The newspaper's statistical breakdown showed that the representatives didn't go against the grain on a great number of issues, as they followed the party's lead about 80 percent to 85 percent of the time. But it nevertheless indicated an unusual renegade faction among a Democratic majority that has demonstrated unity on many legislative votes since taking power this year.

"While I haven't seen any comprehensive voting records, I see both Donnelly and Rep. Brad Ellsworth as not fearing to vote independently from the rest of their caucus," Indiana political columnist Brian Howey said, referencing another moderate Hoosier Democrat who appeared on the newspaper's list.

Howey, who writes the weekly Howey Political Report, said Donnelly was confronted last fall with the charge that he would be a loyal vote for Speaker Nancy Pelosi's agenda. But that hasn't been the case.

Consider:

* Donnelly, who opposes abortion, split from his party in voting against a bill to overturn President Bush's restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research.

* He joined just 15 other Democrats in voting against an expanded hate-crimes law -- a measure that critics viewed as unnecessary and unbalanced.

* In May, he was among 59 members of his party to oppose a nine-month deadline for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. Earlier, he had voted for a bill that called for an August exit from the war but said he did so only because it was the only legislation that provided full funding for the troops.

* On national security, Donnelly stood out for his vote in favor of an amendment to fully restore missile-defense funds.

* He voted mostly with Republicans in opposing an amendment requiring the Pentagon to report on its handling of suspected terrorist detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

* On fiscal matters, Donnelly voted against the 2008 federal budget that House Democrats proposed. With the Blue Dog Coalition, he has supported a pay-as-you-go approach to spending, with emphasis on adequately funding national defense and curtailing deficits.

"They're really the fiscal hawks of the Democratic Party," coalition spokeswoman Kristen Hawn said of the bloc. "Being a fiscal conservative defines who they are."

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For his part, Donnelly said no one -- neither his constituents nor party leaders -- should be surprised by his voting record so far. He's lived up to views he espoused during the campaign, such as opposing an arbitrary deadline for withdrawal from Iraq and restricting federal funding for stem-cell research that destroys embryos.

"No one from the party has said a word about it," Donnelly said of his votes that crossed the party line. "I think they knew what they were getting.

"I've been able to talk to party leadership on a regular basis. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) was a tremendous friend during the campaign and has continued to be a good friend."

Donnelly said he cast votes according to what he thinks is right -- first, for the district, and then according to his values.

The war bill that included both troop funding and a pullout date was the hardest vote he has faced, Donnelly said.

"It was an imperfect choice," he said, "where if you wanted one you had to accept the other."

Howey, the columnist, understands the consternation about Iraq.

He said it's interesting to note that Donnelly appears to be sensitive to people who support Bush's outlook on the war, even amid the strong political tide against it.

Most recently, Donnelly has sided with Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, a fellow Hoosier who is calling for a redeployment of American forces rather than a swift departure from Iraq.

"It's thoroughly unprecedented and uncharted territory. The next few months are going to be fascinating," Howey said. "What a time to be a freshman in Congress."

Contact Jason A. McFarley at jmcfarley@etruth.com.

Additional Information:

How Donnelly voted

U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly, D-Granger, has cast legislative votes on several major issues during the first six months of the 110th Congress.

The following yea votes reflect issues on which he sided with the Democratic House majority, and the nay votes reflect measures on which he split from most members of the party.

- Enacting various recommendations of the 9/11 Commission: Yea

- Raising the federal minimum wage: Yea

- Allowing the federal government to negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies on behalf of Medicare recipients: Yea

- Reforming House ethics rules: Yea

- Reducing interest rates on subsidized student loans: Yea

- Ending some tax breaks for oil and gas companies and diverting the money to developing renewable energy: Yea

- Nonbinding resolution opposing a U.S. troop surge in Iraq: Yea

- Funding troops contingent on an August 2008 pullout in Iraq: Yea

- Removing President Bush's restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research: Nay

- Democrat-proposed budget for fiscal year 2008: Nay

- Cutting off war funding and withdraw troops from Iraq within a nine-month timeline: Nay

- Expanding hate-crimes law: Nay