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V17, N29 Thursday, April 5, 2012 Howey/DePauw Poll: Senate ‘tossup’ Matthews, Yang survey has Lugar leading Mourdock 42-35%, tied among GOP voters GOP. It has prompted HPI to move By BRIAN A. HOWEY this race into “tossup” from “Leans INDIANAPOLIS - U.S. Lugar.” Sen. Dick Lugar is in the most The poll by Republican pollster precarious position of his political Christine Matthews of career since autumn 1974 when Research and Democrat pollster Fred he unsuccessfully challenged Yang of Garin-Hart-Yang Research Democratic incumbent Birch Bayh. Group, was conducted March 26-28 A Howey/DePauw Battle- of 503 likely Republican primary vot- ground Poll released today reveals U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar answers questions from the ers and March 26 -27 of 503 likely Lugar with a 42-35% lead over press about his residency in February, while at Indiana general election voters. It Indiana Treasurer Richard Mour- right, a couple dozen supporters of challenger has a +/-4.5% margin of error. dock, with the two evenly split- Richard Mourdock rallied in the candidate’s home- The polling came after Lugar had ting the vote among the 72% of town of Evansville last weekend. (Photos by Brian primary voters identifying with the A. Howey and Tamara Keith of NPR). Continued on page 4

Primary composition key By CHRISTINE MATTHEWS Bellwether Research WASHINGTON – Our March 26-28 poll shows what everyone knows: is in a tough battle to win ‘‘It wasn’t all of those groups the May 8 Republican primary. He leads Tea Party challenger Richard who were making the phone Mourdock by 7 points, but at 42%, his ballot support is far enough below calls in 2010 and 2011 asking me the 50% mark to be of significant concern. The make-or-break propo- to do this. It was the grassroots sition for Senator Lugar is going to of the Republican Party here in be the composition of the primary electorate. Indiana.” The fact that Indiana has - Treasurer Richard Mourdock HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 2 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 5, 2012

an open primary makes this narra- As to which candidate “shares tive different from , where in my values,” Lugar leads Mourdock by 2010 U.S. Sen. Mike Castle lost to Tea 8 points and has a 10-point advantage Party candidate Christine O’Donnell on “will get things done.” Mourdock in a closed Republican primary, or in is seen as running the more negative www.HoweyPolitics.com Utah, where U.S. Sen. Bob Bennett’s campaign by a nine-point margin. We fate was decided by fewer than 4,000 will track these attributes again on our GOP convention del- pre-primary poll. Howey Politics egates. Indiana The Repub- is a non-partisan newsletter lican Senate candi- based in Indianapolis. It was dates are tied among founded in 1994 in Fort Wayne. self-identified Repub- licans and among pri- mary faithful – those Brian A. Howey, Publisher who voted in both the Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington May 2008 and 2010 Jack E. Howey, editor Republican primaries. Beverly K. Phillips, associate However, among the 28% of the sample editor who identified as independent or as Subscriptions leaning Republican, $350 annually HPI Weekly Richard Lugar has a Republican pollster Christine Matthews speaks at DePauw 26 point advantage University on Super Tuesday. (DePauw Photo by Marilyn Culler) $550 annually HPI Weekly and (52%-26%). HPI Daily Wire. We were 'Call 317.627.6746 cautious in this survey and did not The fact that Richard Mour- ask self-identified Democrats the dock is not well known (40% have primary intention screen and thus no opinion of him and 17% have Contact HPI included none in this sample. How- never heard of him) can play out two Howey Politics Indiana ever, it is reasonable to believe that ways. One is that he has room to 6255 Evanston Ave. with nothing going on for them, some grow as voters get to know him and Indianapolis, IN 46220 Democrats will vote in the Republican that his poll numbers will get better www.howeypolitics.com primary. In Wisconsin this week, 11% as he becomes better known. The of GOP primary voters were Demo- other scenario is that Mourdock’s lack [email protected] crats and 30% independents; Illinois of identity is useful in serving as the 'Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 had 6% who identified as Democrats “anti-Lugar” in that he can generi- 'Washington: 703.248.0909 and 26% as independents, and in cally represent change or people can 'Business Office: 317.627.6746 , 5% were Democrats and 26% project onto him ideal qualities. The independents. April 11 debate is an opportunity for Make no mistake though, our Mourdock to show himself as more © 2012, Howey Politics Indiana. poll shows that Indiana Republican than the “anti-Lugar” candidate and All rights reserved. Photocopy- primary voters are a conservative voters can judge him in a side-by-side ing, Internet forwarding, fax- bunch. Compared with other states comparison with the incumbent. ing or reproducing in any form, that have held Republican primaries Another factor to consider is whole or part, is a violation of this year, Indiana is more conserva- how active a role popular Gov. Mitch tive than any other non-Southern Daniels will yet play in the primary. federal law without permission state with 36% saying they are “very He has endorsed Senator Lugar, but from the publisher. v conservative.” And, outside of Iowa, there has been no TV ad. Usually Indiana has more evangelical Chris- endorsements are not that interesting; tians than any other non-Southern however, the governor is a rock star state. among Republicans. HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 3 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 5, 2012

General Election Survey Lugar in the primary. It’s been working for Romney, but in With a 63% job approval rating among all voters, general, Republican primary voters aren’t responsive to this is among the most popular governors in the message. country (along with New Mexico’s Susana Martinez and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo). The majority (53%) Presidential GOP Primary of all voters think the state is heading in the right direction, At the time we were in the field (March 26-28) with compared with 26% who think the country is. Just 39% our Republican primary poll, the narrative was beginning approve of the job is doing as President, to shift from Santorum-Romney to Romney as nominee. which is worse than in private polling we conducted last It’s not surprising that during this consolidation period, summer. Independents give Obama a 41% approval rat- more than one-third of primary voters said they were ing, compared with 62% for unsure whom they plan Governor Daniels. to support for president If Mitt Romney is in Indiana’s May pri- the Republican nominee, mary contest. Santorum he would lead the president supporters slightly edge by nine points (49%-40%) Romney supporters among Hoosier voters, (27%-26%) and more whereas it’s a closer race might be unsure if their with Santorum (46%-41%). guy would still be alive Independent men lean and kicking by the time toward Romney 46%-42%, May 8 rolls around. The but independent women Gingrich (6%) and Paul back Obama 51%-34%. (6%) support has already In the gubernatorial dropped. What is most race, Democratic candidate interesting is that Rom- John Gregg and his mous- ney is the candidate of tache have yet to make an choice for Indianapolis imprint on voters: 71% and its suburbs, while have never heard of him, Santorum holds his which is little changed from own in the rest of the where he was a year ago. is better known and state. All the traditional constituency patterns are in place: leads Gregg by a 44%-31% margin. This early, our poll Santorum wins evangelicals (but not overwhelmingly) and simply lays the marker for this race as the candidates begin Romney wins college grads while Santorum leads among to campaign in earnest following the May primary. How- the less educated. ever, Pence starts out with a solid advantage. More interesting is how an active presidential In the U.S. Senate general election contest, former contest would play in the U.S. Senate primary. Romney Democratic congressman also begins as a supporters line up with Lugar, while Santorum’s are in relative unknown: 53% have never heard of him and sync with Mourdock. NBC’s Chuck Todd said a competitive another 24% have no opinion. He trails Richard Lugar by GOP presidential primary would be a nightmare for Sena- a 29%-50% margin (perennial Libertarian candidate Andy tor Lugar, but I disagree. The Santorum/Mourdock voters Horning nets 7%). Lugar wins independent voters by a are going to turn out anyway – because they are the base 20-point margin and soundly beats Donnelly in Indianapo- and because the NRA, FreedomWorks, and lis, an area Democrats must carry. Donnelly only performs will make sure of it. What benefits Lugar is for the Romney well in the northwest quadrant of the state which includes micro-targeting and turn-out machine to be in full force. If Lake, St. Joseph and Porter counties. Romney is cruising, they may take a less active role in turn- Against Richard Mourdock, however, Donnelly ties ing out their supporters and these people are more likely with 35% of the vote (7% for Horning). Donnelly has a to stay home if they think Romney has the nomination 20-point advantage in Indianapolis and increases his mar- wrapped up. v gin in northern Indiana substantially. Indiana Democratic insiders know these numbers, of course, and that is why Matthews is president and CEO of Bellwether Re- they will do everything in their power to help ensure Rich- search based in Washington. ard Mourdock comes out of the GOP primary. The gen- eral electability argument, however, will not help Richard HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 4 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 5, 2012

at 47/30% and Mour- Howey/DePauw Poll, from page 1 dock’s stood at 15/18% experienced a terrible week. He took broadside headlines with 34% having heard related to the residency issue in the week before the poll- of him with no opinion ing, with the Democratic Marion County Election Board and 33% having never denying the voting address he had used since joining the heard of him. Senate in the late 70’s. The three days of polling coincided Conventional wis- with the beginning of a statewide Club for Growth TV as- dom is that an incum- sault ad branding Lugar as a big tax and spender who loves bent standing under earmarks. 50% in a poll this late Lugar, then Indianapolis mayor, lost the 1974 race in an election sequence to Bayh as he was buffeted by the fallout from the Water- is facing the specter of gate scandal, President Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon, defeat. As U.S. Rep. Joe and Ford’s troubled “Whip Inflation Now” program. Lugar’s Donnelly, the Democrat polling showed him to be in a rollercoaster race. in the Senate race, said Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock on Monday, “A pollster Thirty-eight years later, Sen. Lugar is confronted outside the former Lugar home that with a historic low 10% approval rating of Congress, ac- once told me, ‘Joe, if served as his longtime voting ad- you were at 42 per- cording to the Howey/DePauw survey. A stunning 81% of dress. those polled disapprove of Congress’ actions. A recent Gal- cent a few months out, lup national survey has Congressional approval at 12%. or you know five, six Howey/DePauw revealed that 26% of Hoosiers see months out, we’d probably tell you to think of other career the U.S. on the “right track” compared to 61% who see the options.’” nation on the “wrong track.” Matthews explained, “Coming on the heels of some Lugar and Mourdock are evenly splitting the GOP pretty awful headlines, it is good news for the Lugar cam- vote. If Indiana did not have an open primary system, a paign that he is up, but more important than the spread or record seventh term for Lugar would be doomed. In the the challenger’s percentage is that the incumbent’s number Republican portion of Howey/DePauw, 72% identified at 42% is not a good number.” themselves as Republican, 14% as independents/lean Re- As for the undecided voters, Yang observed, “I publican and 14% as independents. When Howey/DePauw think they are pausing. They are deciding not to vote for asked respondents “What candidate does this statement Richard Lugar. The undecideds are on their way to voting better describe Richard Lugar/Richard Mourdock,” 36% said for Richard Mourdock - they just don’t know him. The good Lugar “shares my values” compared to 28% for Mourdock. news for Lugar is he has time to turn things around.” “Is running a negative campaign” had 24% Mourdock and Conventional wisdom is that undecideds tend to 15% Lugar, and “Will get things done” had a 10-point (40- break to the challenger about 3-to-1, meaning Mourdock 30%) Lugar advantage. must pull about 65% of them to go over the top. Essentially, the May 8 Republican primary has The silver lining for Lugar, who is facing an on- turned into a referendum on Lugar. Some 40% of Repub- slaught of special interest money on behalf of Mourdock lican voters have no from the National Rifle Association, Club for Growth and opinion of Mourdock, and FreedomWorks, is that in a another 17% have never head-to-head matchup with heard of the two-term Donnelly among general treasurer who led the election voters, Lugar leads GOP ticket in his 2010 50-29%. In a head-to-head reelection bid. Among between Mourdock and likely Republican vot- Donnelly, the race is tied at ers, 47% have a favor- 35%. able opinion of Lugar Donnelly’s fav/iunfavs and 31% unfavorable, stood at 14/9%, with 53% compared to Mourdock having never heard of him with a 24% favorable to and another 24% had heard 18% unfavorable. In the of him but have no opinion. general election portion, Christine Matthews, Fred Yang and Brian Howey discuss polling at Asked whether they ap- Lugar’s fav/unfavs stood DePauw University on March 5. (DePauw Photo by Marilyn Culler) proved or disapproved that HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 5 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 5, 2012

in 2008, the federal gov- the GOP primary. If the cam- ernment lent $80 billion to paign can do that, Lugar has a Chrysler and General Mo- path to victory. tors to prevent the compa- Another element is the nies from going bankrupt, endorsement of Gov. Mitch 51% of the general election Daniels, who has a 63% ap- approved and 44% disap- proval rating (and 31% disap- proved. Among independent proving) from general election men, by a 69-30 margin voters and an 86% approval they approved of the auto from Republicans, according to rescue. The significance of Howey/DePauw. At a February this data is that Treasurer fundraiser in Carmel, Daniels Mourdock tried to prevent said of Lugar, “Indiana con- the Chrysler/Fiat merger tinues to be blessed by one of in a lawsuit that was eventually rejected being heard by the greatest public servants not of our modern times, not the U.S. Supreme Court. Donnelly had been an ardent of our state’s history, but in American history – and it’s not proponent of the auto rescue, saying it would save tens of stretching the point. Dick Lugar is genuinely a great Ameri- thousands of Hoosier auto industry jobs. can as reflected in decades of spectacular service.” Pollster Matthews explained, “The fact is, if Lugar The Lugar campaign taped the Daniels’ statement comes out of the primary, he’s in good shape in the gen- and will use it in a homestretch TV ad. “Endorsements eral.” The problem is that Republican primary voters tend aren’t normally worth a whole lot,” Matthews said. “This not to respond to an electability argument when what they one will move numbers.” are looking for is purity and an ideological pit pull to stand their ground. Presidential Primary: A dead heat In 2010, Tea Party candidates Sharron Angle in In the Republican presidential primary, with the Nevada and Christine O’Donnell in Delaware won upset nomination virtually a foregone conclusion for Romney, Rick victories in closed primaries, then lost to Democrats in the Santorum leads Romney 27-26% among the Republicans fall, depriving the GOP a Senate majority. surveyed. Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich stood at 6% each Mourdock has never aired the traditional bio ad. and 35% were undecided. Instead, he uses phrases like “it’s time” for Lugar to retire. There are two ways to look at the presidential “The race is a referendum on Lugar,” Matthews said. “That’s race in the Senate primary prism. If the race had not been how they are playing it. It used to be you can’t replace essentially decided and there were active campaigns on someone with no one, but you can today.” behalf of Romney and Santorum, that would likely draw Matthews cautioned that it is too early to write more into the primary, including more independents. A Lugar off. Lugar is leading by 20% among independents. low turnout, which has been the hallmark of a number of He is carrying Indianapolis by a huge margin, but isn’t Republican primary races, is seen as an element benefit- as strong in the so-called doughnut counties surrounding ting Mourdock. From the earliest stages of the campaign, Indianapolis as one might have assumed. His numbers Mourdock had said that he was counting on a low turnout. in Southern The Lugar campaign, which has called more than 1 million Indiana aren’t voters, is geared to increasing turnout. Doing so could save as bad as the Lugar candidacy. the pollsters In the general election head-to-head, Romney anticipated. leads President Obama 49-40% with 11% undecided. In a The Lugar Santorum/Obama head-to-head, the Republican leads the campaign incumbent 46-41%. hierarchy has Asked in the general election survey about Presi- recognized for dent Obama’s approval, 39% said they approve of his almost two performance and 52% disapprove. It appears that with years that it these numbers, Indiana is likely to return to the red column must draw after Obama was the first Democrat to carry the state in 44 independent years in 2008. and even some Yang noted that Obama carried independent Hoo- Democrats into siers by 11% in 2008 and that stands at plus 4% in Howey/ HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 6 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 5, 2012 Exhibition season over, we’ll see if Lugar survives By FRED YANG Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group WASHINGTON - While the historic nature (and excitement) of the 2008 elections here in Indiana seems difficult to duplicate, there are several elections in 2012 whose outcomes could be consequential for Hoosiers. In particular, 2012 could witness the end of Richard Lugar’s long political career, which started in 1967. I am a fish out of water when it comes to analyzing Republican primaries (I greatly defer to my colleague Chris Matthews in the prac- tice of this, shall we say, challenging art!). But my quick DePauw. “When Frank O’Bannon won in 1996, read of the GOP primary poll suggests that Richard Lugar got 41%, but that was with Ross Perot on the ballot,” Yang likely will lose the May 8 primary election. said. “Can Barack Obama win Indiana? That’s unlikely. But The casual observer will ask (quite logically) how can he get to 45 or 46%, which could then influence the I could draw that conclusion when Senator Lugar is lead- Senate and gubernatorial race? I think that’s an open ques- ing Dick Mourdock in the initial trial heat and has superior tion.” name recognition (nearly four-fifths of GOP primary voters have an opinion of Lugar, compared with only 42% who Pence leads Gregg have impressions of Mourdock). Again, I will be interested In the first head-to-head numbers in the Indiana in Chris’ analysis of the GOP primary dynamics, but here gubernatorial race, U.S. Rep. Mike Pence had a 44-31% are some numbers “beneath” the surface that suggest lead over former Democratic House speaker John Gregg, Lugar is poised to lose. with 5% backing Libertarian Rupert Boneham. n First, Lugar’s 42% (37% with- When asked in the general election out leaners) is below the 50% threshold survey if Indiana was headed in the right or that incumbents need to surpass. So wrong track, 53% said right track and 34% the argument goes, if after nearly 45 said wrong track. years in office nearly three-fifths of GOP Gregg’s problem is that 71% of the primary voters won’t commit to Lugar general election voters have not heard of now, what are the chances he wins him. Of those who have, his fav/infavs stood them over in the next five weeks? at 10/4%. Pence’s fav/unfavs in this survey n Second, Lugar fares worse in the stood at 32/20% with 30% having never GOP primary with GOP voters. Among heard of him. Among the Republican primary voters who identify themselves as voters, Pence’s fav/unfavs stood at 57/5%. Republicans, Lugar and Mourdock are Democratic pollster Fred Yang Matthews observed, “I am a little knotted at 38%. Among GOP primary surprised that Pence is not more polarizing.” voters who voted in both the 2008 and It was a year ago that Pence led the Congressional GOP 2010 primaries, Mourdock and Lugar are again tied. Both on a crusade against Planned Parenthood. But during his groups are the more likely to turn out in a May primary, gubernatorial campaign, Pence has been very disciplined in and thus, in a low-turn primary in which “base” Republi- talking about jobs and taxes. cans would make up the overwhelming share, Lugar would Again, Yang shed a historical perspective. In 1996, be in trouble. O’Bannon trailed Republican Stephen Goldsmith by a larger n Finally, the trait comparisons between the two margin than Gregg trails Pence. Pence’s challenge will be candidates show Lugar’s problems even though right now that anemic 10% approval rating for Congress. he is ahead of Mourdock. Sure, Richard Lugar has an “John Gregg has him right where he wants him,” eight-point lead on “shares my values” and he is ten points Yang joked. ahead on “will get things done,” but he has been in office Publisher’s Note: Howey/DePauw Battleground for five decades and in the U.S. Senate since 1976, and he will publish a second poll prior to the May 8 primary. v can barely manage double-digit advantages over a basically HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 7 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 5, 2012

unknown opponent. been out of politics for nearly a decade). Two items in par- Can Richard Lugar win the GOP primary? Abso- ticular indicate that the gubernatorial race is far from over. lutely, and as the 2012 primary season has shown so far, First, Pence’s advantage among independents is surprising- unpredictability is predictable. Senator Lugar’s one chance ly lackluster at only 32% to 25%. And second, note that seems to be to (negatively) define Mourdock, and with Congress has an 81% disapprove rating (81% disapprove nearly three-fifths of GOP primary voters unable to rate with Republicans and 87% disapprove with independents), their impressions of the challenger, that task seems doable. which is not a great credential for the five-term Congress- And the polling shows that if the GOP primary electorate man Pence. Gregg is slightly better positioned - even with “expands,” Lugar has a chance to win (which is ironic – if his 13% deficit - than the late Frank O’Bannon in 1996 Lugar wins the GOP primary he will do so because of non- (who trailed by 20 points in a number of polls). Republicans). But at the end of the day, elections involving Finally, there is no doubt that Governor Daniels is incumbents turn out to be a referendum on the incumbent popular; his 63% job approval rating is impressive. But the (especially in primary elections), and if that ends up being survey also raises doubts about whether any of Daniels’ the case, our poll results suggest that Dick Lugar will be popularity can translate into anyone not named Mitch Dan- hard-pressed to win. iels. For example, the Republicans in the legislature have a Well, that was a fun sidelight onto the “other side.” net positive rating of 38% favorable and 36% unfavorable, The Howey/DePauw Indiana Battleground Poll which is better than the Democrats in the state legisla- included questions on the presidential, gubernatorial, and ture (32% favorable, 39% unfavorable). Not only is the U.S. Senate races, and the main takeaway is that the Re- GOP legislature perceived only marginally better than the publican candidates with seemingly healthy leads nonethe- Democrats, but also the GOP woefully underperforms the less can take nothing for granted; it is still early and the GOP governor. And, among independents, the Democrats campaign has barely started (to the voters). actually are at a net plus (32% favorable, 28% unfavor- In some respects, the timing of our first Battle- able), while the Republicans are extremely polarizing (23% ground poll with the start of the major league baseball favorable, 42% unfavorable). season is appropriate: the exhibition season is over and U.S. Senate: The dynamics of this election will now the games count. And your record in the pre-season greatly change depending on whether the GOP candidate usually does not predict your success in the regular sea- to face Joe Donnelly is Lugar or Mourdock, but the polling son. While our poll did not go in-depth on overall dynamics indicates that the race will be closely contested until the looming in 2012, we know from other polls and the nation- end. Lugar leads Donnelly by 50% to 29%, but Lugar is al zeitgeist that voters are not satisfied with the status quo below 50% without leaners (46%) and arguably Donnelly’s and have no problem shaking things up. deficit is magnified by his lack of name recognition (77% Presidential: Barack Obama trails Mitt Romney of Hoosiers cannot rate Donnelly, compared with only 23% by 49% to 40% and by a slightly smaller who cannot rate Lugar). Against Mourdock, Congressman margin (46% to 41%). In comparing the current results Donnelly instantly is more competitive (35% Donnelly, 35% with the 2008 Indiana exit poll, the most important change Mourdock) mostly because both candidates are equally has been among independents; Obama won them by 54% known (or unknown, as the case might be). A couple of to 43% in 2008, and in our survey he only wins by 45% interesting cross-tabs in the Donnelly-Mourdock race: to 41%. If the President can regain some of his support n Donnelly leads 34% to 19% among indepen- among independents (as he should once the general elec- dents, with Libertarian Andrew Horning garnering 10%. tion gets more engaged), the Obama-Romney race be- n Among those who support Lugar against Don- comes more competitive. nelly, only 53% vote for Republican Mourdock, 18% vote The survey data provide one specific issue that for Donnelly, and 24% are undecided. should help the Obama reelection campaign: the auto bail- The last result in particular restates the conven- out. Overall, about half (51%) of Hoosier voters approve tional wisdom (which sometimes is actually correct!) that of the $80 billion loan to Chrysler/GM, with 44% disap- a general election against Mourdock starts off as a tossup proving. Independents approve by a very strong 61% to race. But I would argue that although Lugar currently has 37%, which suggests that this is a very potent issue for the the lead against Donnelly, the same dynamics that have Obama campaign. made him vulnerable in the GOP primary also are present Gubernatorial: Republican Mike Pence has an in the general election. In summary, Indiana is looking like early 44% to 31% lead over John Gregg, with Libertar- it will have three interesting, important, and competitive ian Rupert Boneham garnering 3%. Pence’s current lead elections. v is largely a function of his higher name recognition as a Yang is a partner with Garin-Hart-Yang Research current officeholder (70%, versus 29% for Gregg, who has Group. HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 8 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 5, 2012

Lugar: Statesman of the Senate,” author John T. Shaw Lugar faces dilemma writes that the Iraq War - seen by some as a way for the U.S. to get its hands on the country’s huge oil reserves - of other Foreign Policy dominated Lugar’s next four years at the helm. Lugar was concerned that the Bush administration had “not prepared sufficiently for the war’s aftermath” and held 30 hearings chairs on home front that Shaw described as “muted and restrained sessions, a far cry from the politically charged and powerful 1966 By BRIAN A. HOWEY hearings” conducted by Fulbright over the conduct of the INDIANAPOLIS - William J. Fulbright. Frank Church. Vietnam War. Chuck Percy. What do they have in Shaw says six points define a common? “statesman”: a sense of working in the All chaired the Senate long-term; being willing to take political Foreign Relations Committee. All risks; being willing to work with the other eventually went down to defeat party; being willing to break with your when they returned home for reelec- own party; doing good work when no tion. All faced the same complaint one is watching; and delivering, getting on the home front: They were more things done. interested in global affairs than de- During Vietnam, Fulbright attempt- velopments in their home states. ed to work with President Johnson behind And we are hearing that the scenes, to no avail. He broke with complaint in Indiana these days as LBJ in 1966, held sensational hearings to Treasurer Richard Mourdock seeks to shed light on the futility of the war, and unseat U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar. Repub- in doing so “completely marginalized” lican county chairmen complain that himself with the administration. he doesn’t attend their Lincoln Day Lugar faced a similar battle with dinners. He has become a senator President Bush and chose the quiet ap- “from Indiana and not of Indiana.” proach. He had been hawkish on Saddam Lugar chaired this powerful Hussein, urging President George H.W. committee for two years after Percy Bush to takeout the dictator in April 1991 was defeated in 1984. He used the after the U.S. expelled him from Kuwait. position in two powerful ways during But in 2002 and 2003, U.S. Sen. Chuck the first two years he held the seat. Hagel, the Nebraska Republican, urged He played a critical role in convinc- Bush and Secretary of State Condi Rice to ing President Reagan that Philippines’ “have Lugar sit down with the president – President Ferdinand Marcos had stolen without Dick Cheney – and listen to him. an election after having his rival assas- But they never did. They didn’t use him. sinated, and then committed rampant It was a terrible, terrible squandering of a vote fraud against the widow, Corazon resource.” Aquino. And he broke with Reagan in Hagel is critical of Lugar, too, say- opposing the apartheid government of ing he should have been more outspoken South Africa, which eventually collapsed as the 2003 U.S. invasion careened into a under the weight of U.S. sanctions. terrible civil war that came about because When Republicans lost control of a lack of a post-invasion strategy. “I told of the Senate in 1986, a 16-year hiatus him that I didn’t think anyone’s voice was from the chair began for Lugar. When more powerful than his on this matter,” the GOP retook the Senate, North Caro- Hagel said. “Dick opted to do it his way – lina Sen. Jesse Helms claimed the chair quiet and private.” and held it until he retired in 2002. In 2006, the assumption of This thrust Lugar back into the chair at “statesmanship” reached its apex with a critical time as President George W. Author John T. Shaw at his book Lugar. Up for reelection, he had no Bush prepared to invade Iraq. signing for the Lugar book on Monday Democratic opponent. Shaw writes that In his new book, “Richard G. night at the Old Centrum. (HPI Photo in October 2006, Lugar conducted a by Brian A. Howey) HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 9 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 5, 2012

thousand-mile campaign style The trip lasted 72 hours, in- swing through Indiana. He spent cluding 33 hours of travel and several million dollars from his 14 hours of official meetings. campaign to “conduct a public This week, special inter- education campaign about the ests and the Richard Mour- imperative for the dock campaign began run- to develop new energy technolo- ning a TV ad against Lugar, gies.” Lugar argued that energy reducing the “energy issue” had become the “albatross of to this, with a narrator saying, U.S. national security. Unless the “Obama’s failed energy policy nation adopted a more vision- has gas prices skyrocketing. ary energy policy, it faced a real, Hoosier families are pay- long-term risk of economic and ing the price. Yet Dick Lugar political decline.” wanted to raise gas taxes a He visited a proposed dollar a gallon.” wind farm at Fowler in Ben- And Club for Growth ton County, met with I-Power President Chris Chocola pulled executives in Anderson, visited out a 2003 “Cap-and-Trade” Wabash River Energy, a clean Sen. Lugar hosted an energy security summit at Purdue vote on a bill by U.S. Sen. Joe coal facility near Terre Haute, University. Lieberman, where Lugar was Evergreen Rewnewables in Ham- one of just six GOP sena- mond, a new ethanol plant in Marion. tors to support. “Senator Lugar supports a Cap-and-Trade Lugar told Shaw, “This is what my life is going to scheme and voted for one in 2003 while most Republicans be like for the next six years.” He wanted to be an “agent voted no,” said Chocola. “In elections, facts matter, and the provocateur” getting Americans and Hoosiers to “keep fact is that Senator Lugar voted for Cap-and-Trade, while pushing the envelope relentlessly and even get people to Richard Mourdock never will. Senator Lugar’s attempt to leap outside the envelope. Our future depends on it.” mislead voters about his record of support for Obamaesque In 2008, Lugar traveled the globe on energy relat- policies will be rejected by Hoosiers.” ed issues. On one trip, he visited key energy transit states What we are witnessing here is a classic DC insider of Georgia and Ukraine, along with key energy producers game, where the complexities of an issue and the body of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. He conveyed to work of one of the few Members who has taken energy leaders that the U.S. was interested in new energy export policy serious is dumbed down ... for the manipulation of routes outside of Russia, which at one point had cut off political ends. v natural gas to Europe in a fit of economic blackmail. In August 2008, he spent two weeks promoting the proposed Nabucco pipeline, first meeting with International Energy Agency officials in Paris. There were more stops in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Hungary, Ukraine, Germany and Bel- gium. Shaw writes that in July 2009, Lugar received stirring news that the European Union and leaders of five nations had reached a deal on Nabucco. There would be a signing ceremony in Ankara. Lugar left Washington on a Saturday night, flew to London, caught a military flight to Turkey, met with pipeline contractors, then attended an elaborate signing ceremony. Lugar would tell the gathered heads of states, ambassadors and businessmen at the ceremony that Nabucco “was a bold demonstration that governments representing diverse peoples and geographies can overcome division. It is a signal to the rest of the world that partner governments will not acquiesce to manipula- tion of energy supplies for political ends.” He returned to Washington the following Tuesday. HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 10 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 5, 2012

was the senator’s press secretary in the mid-1990s. You Tea Party needs Lugar don’t have to be a Lugar alum, however, to realize that he would be well-positioned to provide a bulwark against Democratic reaction in the Senate to the health care deci- following Supreme decision sion. By MARK SCHOEFF JR. His ability to reach across the aisle - as much as WASHINGTON - Supreme Court Chief Justice John that is criticized by his primary opponent in this election Roberts Jr. gets too much criticism – or credit – for pushing season - also could make him a key player in formulating a the court in a conservative direction. new approach to health care reform. For several years, I covered the court’s work on The election, however, is unlikely to bring a employment and labor law. It sided with employers in some decisive change to the Senate. No matter which party wins high-profile cases, such as a pay discrimination suit brought the chamber, its caucus will be far short of the 60 votes by Lilly Ledbetter. Many times, though, the high court ruled required to break a filibuster. against corporations, especially in the area of retaliation. Lugar can be a bridge that helps ensure that the The Roberts court would often second attempt at health care reform is more targeted, less act narrowly, forcing other courts costly and more widely supported than Obama’s plan. or Congress to provide answers to Democratic colleagues may be ready to talk be- questions raised by a particular case. cause they see polls demonstrating the unpopularity of the In this sense, Roberts is leading his health care law, as Lugar said at a recent press event in colleagues in a traditionally con- his Capitol Hill office with Indiana Attorney General Greg servative way – trying to keep the Zoeller. court’s reach circumscribed. “The degree of revolt in the Congress is already Following last week’s oral argu- evident,” Lugar said. “It could very well be that Democratic ments on the health care reform law, members may decide, all things considered, there are everyone is trying to read the tea things they would like to see repealed to get them out of leaves on the individual mandate. If harm’s way.” the justices rule that it’s unconstitu- That’s where Lugar comes in. The Democrats won’t tional, they’ll then decide whether that action invalidates simply admit defeat and let Republicans have their way on the whole law. the next iteration of health care reform. They will listen Based on its approach to employment cases, the to Republicans who do more than hurl grenades from the Roberts court may give Congress room to run following the backbench. ruling, which is expected in late June. Lugar’s GOP challenger, Richard Mourdock, as well Regardless of the parameters of the decision, Con- as Indiana Democrats like to point out that Lugar support- gress will try to reassert itself. In the Ledbetter case, for ed a bill in 1993 that included an individual mandate. Lugar instance, Democratic lawmakers were incensed by the 5-4 answered that criticism by highlighting the basic motivation vote and were urged to overturn it by the scathing dissent of health care reform. read from the bench by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. “We were thinking, as many senators always Congress responded in January 2009 with the Lilly have, about adequate health care for all Americans and Ledbetter Act, which gave employees more time to file pay how in a humane way people could be served,” Lugar said. discrimination suits. It was the first piece of legislation that “At the same time, there were questions then as there are Obama signed. now as to whether there can be a requirement that every- As we saw this week, Obama is girding for an- body have health care.” other post-decision fight. He virtually dared the justices to That bill, as Lugar pointed out, didn’t go anywhere. vote against his signature piece of legislation. The gauntlet But the key difference between health care reform delib- he threw down may be his way of telling Congressional erations in 1993 and those of 2009-10 is that in the latter Democrats to be ready to hit the health-care field again, if a massive bill was rammed through Congress solely with he wins a second term. Democratic votes. What happens after the Supreme Court renders its In a full democratic process, with give and take verdict is as important as the decision itself. In this atmo- from both sides, a question like an individual mandate can v sphere, it’s in the best interests of the Republicans, includ- be vetted. ing the Tea Party faithful, to have U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar in the fray. Schoeff is HPI’s Washington correspondent. At this point, I need to remind HPI readers that I HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 11 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 5, 2012

the McIntosh family go to church? What school does his Seybold won’t go negative children attend? The answer to all of these questions is Arlington, Virginia, not Indiana.” The mayor says he will resist going on the attack. as McIntosh residency “We’ve never gone negative,” Seybold said of his mayoral campaigns and one for the Marion City Council. “I don’t see will be a target us going that down the road.” Seybold said the campaign is on track to raise “in By BRIAN A. HOWEY the $250,000 to $350,000 range.” He added, “We’re picking INDIANAPOLIS - His campaign was on the brink up momentum. We’ve spent the last 42 days building the of kicking off a TV ad campaign, but Marion Mayor Wayne base. Now it’s time to reach out. What I’m surprised at is Seybold’s British heritage had caught the attention of the the almost inaction we’ve seen in this race. There haven’t blogosphere. been a lot of commercials. That really helps us.” Perennial Hamilton County Democrat candidate Seybold has some impressive endorsements rang- Greg Purvis had accused Sey- ing from U.S. Rep. Dan Burton, to State Sens. , bold’s mother, who holds dual , Jim Banks, and Jim Buck, and British/American citizenship, State Rep. Eric Turner. “They are taking an active role,” of remaining a citizen across he said of his legislative support. The Seybold game plan the pond so she could stay on is to run well in the northern part of the district in Grant Great Britain’s national health and Howard counties, and then make inroads in the bigger service. Seated on a couch at population areas of Hamilton, Madison and Marion coun- the Monon Coffee Company ties. The winner could come in with 24 to 30%. in Broad Ripple, Seybold could McGoff, who challenged Burton twice, has said his only sigh at the affront. internal polling shows he is the main challenger to McIn- Seybold was one of the last candidates to get in tosh. The two entered the race with higher name ID than the 5th CD race. Now he hopes to take a positive message the rest of the field due to their combined five congressio- into the final month while several nal campaigns. McGoff was endorsed of his opponents - John McGoff by Indiana Right to Life and McIntosh and Susan Brooks - were prepar- picked up the endorsement of the ing to take aim at the presumed National Rifle Association. front-runner, David McIntosh, Brooks has portrayed herself as who was about to be portrayed the non-politician. She is in her first as a “carpetbagger” despite his campaign after serving six years as three terms in Congress from the Southern Indiana District Attorney. Indiana and his 2000 nomination Brooks observed President Obama’s for governor. signing of the STOCK Act, but said it IndyPolitics.org writes, was only a first step. “America faces “Voting records show McIntosh serious issues that required immediate participating in several Indiana attention by leaders capable of solv- primaries and general elections ing big problems: Putting Americans while at the same time holding back to work. Tackling the nearly a Virginia driver’s license which, $15 trillion in debt and restoring under Virginia law, you can America’s AAA credit rating. Cutting only have if you are a resident.” the insatiable, out-of-control spend- Virginia statute states that you ing habits of the federal government. must show two proofs of identity, Eliminating regulations on businesses one proof of legal presence and that impede job creation. Reforming one proof of Virginia residency, the federal tax code,” she said. “As I in order to obtain a driver’s have traveled the 5th Congressional license in that state. McGoff District during the past nine months explained, “You have to ask the talking to voters, I’ve heard firsthand Marion Mayor Wayne Seybold believes he’s well important questions. Where does the frustration Hoosiers feel toward positioned to make a move in the 5th CD primary. David McIntosh live? Where does Washington with not only the lack of (HPI Photo by Brian A. Howey) HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 12 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 5, 2012

results, but also the absence of civility and genuine unwill- very little on their support for alternative fuels. The Associ- ingness to put our future generations ahead of politics and ated Press reported that both Gregg and Pence touted their start tackling America’s greatest challenges. With the ap- support for more fuel choices – read that as higher blends proval rating of Congress at historic lows - ranging between of ethanol in gasoline and more gas pumps throughout the 9 percent and 12 percent depending on what poll you read state that dispense E85 blends – and blasted the Obama - many conclude that our problems will never be solved administration for new regulations on coal plants that could until we restore the trust and confidence of the American hit the state’s coal industry. Gregg said he would consider a people.” state-level ethanol consumption mandate and look at build- So it will be Brooks and Seybold to try to separate ing more E85 fuel pumps around the state. Pence, mean- themselves from the field of past Members and congres- while, argued that building out the state’s roads would sional contenders. Brooks has more money than Seybold, help maximize development of the state’s existing ethanol and she is expected to use some of it to attack McIntosh. plants. Horse Race Status: Leans Pence Seybold hopes he can stay positive and possibly position himself to weave into the lead in the final five weeks of the U.S. Senate: Mourdock senses upset campaign. Horse Race Primary Status: Leans McIntosh Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock appeared at an Evansville rally in his home county last Saturday and Governor: Energy in the gov race said he was on the verge of an upset. The challenger The gubernatorial race centered on energy this recalled the incredulous response he got last year, when week as Democrat John Gregg began to earnestly weigh in he launched his campaign to deny Lugar renomination. on the issues. Gregg said in Northwest Indiana that he is “People looked at me, ‘Oh, well, gee, uh, that’s Dick Lugar. working on a plan to eliminate Indiana’s 7% gasoline sales I mean, he’s Dick Lugar. He’s been (in the Senate) for 35 tax. “There’s some help we can give, and I think it’s impor- years. That’s Dick Lugar. He’s an icon of Indiana politics,’” tant that we try to do that because it’s causing Hoosiers Mourdock said (Langhorne, Evansville Courier & Press). to suffer,” Gregg said (Carden, NWI Times). “When gas “And time to go!” a woman shouted from the crowd to gets to $4 a gallon, it crimps Hoosiers’ pocketbooks, and laughter and applause. Mourdock said he was warned he it has resulted in a windfall to the state.” Indiana sales tax would not be able to raise money for a campaign against collections in February were $11 million more than Febru- the well-connected veteran senator. “By the end of last ary 2011, in part because year we had raised $1.3 million and I’ll tell gasoline sold for an ad- you, with what’s been happening, we are ditional 50 cents a gallon going to meet our target of $2.5 million,” he this year. The state also vowed to an applauding audience. On Satur- has $1.7 billion in reserve. day, Mourdock and his supporters made only “We realize gas prices are passing and indirect references to the now high, and we’ve got to do resolved residency issues that have dogged what we can about it,” Lugar in this campaign. Mourdock did not said Gregg, who plans to discuss the case in detail, although he did slip announce details of his gas in a reference to “Vanderburgh County, where plan in two weeks. I actually do live.” In June 2000, U.S. Rep. Mike Pence tours Toyota this week in His appearance came as Lugar tried to put when premium fuel topped Southwestern Indiana. the residency issues behind him. His office $2 a gallon for the first repaid $14,000 in hotel expenses that an time, Democratic Gov. Frank O’Bannon declared an energy audit showed were reimbursed while he was not on official emergency and suspended the state’s sales tax on gaso- Senate business. What didn’t get reported was that Lugar line for five months. Republicans called it an election-year has returned millions of dollars of office operating expenses stunt, but by the end of that summer Hoosiers were paying over the past 35 years. the lowest gasoline prices in the nation. U.S. Rep. Mike The Lugar and Mourdock campaigns and their Pence, the Republican candidate for governor, said he’s Super PAC surrogates continued to trade charges this past “not opposed to lifting the sales tax” but would prefer Indi- week. The Lugar campaign accused Mourdock of launching ana enact “across-the-board tax relief that will encourage an attack ad meant to “mislead and deceive” the senator’s investment and create jobs.” energy and tax record, describing it as “low rent politics.” Both Gregg and Republican Mike Pence appeared Campaign spokesman Andy Fisher said, “Mourdock con- at the Indiana Ethanol Forum Tuesday and both differed tinues to be absent on solving our major problems. On tax issues he says he wants more people to pay more taxes, HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 13 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 5, 2012

but he never says what taxes. He has been an absolute occasions: to attend college, to serve in the U.S. Navy and no-show on a better energy plan for America. Instead he to represent Indiana in the U.S. Senate. Now, big-monied continues to warp facts and mislead Hoosier voters. While outside special interest groups who have no stake in Richard Mourdock is digging up old newspapers, Senator Indiana are running political ads attacking Dick Lugar and Dick Lugar is fighting President Obama’s hostility to domes- twisting his record. Instead, we hope you will consider the tic oil production, his rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline advice of those of us who know him best. Furthermore, Re- and his over-regulations of oil and coal.” publicans should question why Democrats are taking such The Club for Growth says Lugar is misleading vot- active roles to beat Sen. Lugar in this GOP primary. Polls ers when he says he opposed Obama’s “‘Cap-and-Trade’ show their only possible path to victory is to not face Dick energy scheme,” saying he supported a version sponsored Lugar in November. Our country and state would be much by U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman in 2003. “Senator Lugar better off with more Dick Lugars in the U.S. Senate. That supports a Cap-and-Trade scheme and voted for one in is why we join Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels in urging fellow 2003 while most Republicans voted no,” said Club for Hoosiers to vote for Senator Lugar in May’s Primary Elec- Growth President Chris Chocola. “In elections, facts matter, tion and in November’s General Election. Help us re-elect and the fact is that Senator Lugar voted for Cap-and-Trade, Sen. Dick Lugar.” while Richard Mourdock never will. Senator Lugar’s attempt Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly issued a jobs to mislead voters about his record of support for Obam- plan this week and began stumping for it around the state. aesque policies will be rejected by Hoosiers.” He visited Riverfront Park in Evansville to meet with Hoo- Lugar picked up the endorsement of Lt. Gov. Becky siers who work in the energy industry and talk about his Skillman and five former Indiana Republican state chair- support for domestic energy production. The six-point plan men. “Dick Lugar has been a champion for Indiana and is entitled “Going All-in On American Energy Production.” a pillar of strength and security for our country,” Skillman “There is no more pressing issue than job creation, and said at an event at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis we need to go all-in when it comes to American energy on Monday. “I also appreciate his constant support for ag- production to both create jobs and keep our hard-earned riculture and homegrown energy. He has honorably served dollars here at home,” said Donnelly. “Evansville is the Hoosiers and he has my full support.” perfect example of how Indiana can be an energy leader. Jim Kittle, Mike McDaniel, Gordon Durnil, Bruce Many hard working men and women like those with me this Melchert and Tom Milligan sent a letter this week to In- morning work hard in the coal mines each day to provide diana newspapers backing U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar: “We are our state with the energy we need. By pursuing every five proud former chairs of the resource, we can put even more Hoosiers to work.” Don- - a party founded on individual freedom and conservative nelly’s plan includes provisions to cut taxes for Hoosier job principles. We endorse Sen. Dick Lugar, because he lives creators; protect American jobs through a trade policy that these philosophies every day. Some believe that because works for Indiana, not China; invest in Indiana roads and Dick Lugar doesn’t pound his desk or hurl personal insults, bridges; and give workers the skills they need to compete. he isn’t conservative enough. Nothing could be further He has an “overarching belief that this must be achieved from the truth. Sen. Lugar has a longstanding record of while living within our means and has plans to address the supporting free enterprise, rights of the unborn and the debt crisis.” Primary Horse Race Status: Tossup right to bear arms. That’s why the Chamber of Commerce supports Sen. Lugar and why he has 100% voting records 6th CD: Fettig endorses Bates with the National Right to Life and the Christian Coalition. Don Bates’ campaign for 6th CD announced that Dick Lugar has been civil to President Obama, but not been Greg Fettig, Founder of America Refocused and an influen- afraid to stand up to him. Sen. Lugar opposed the Obama- tial leader in Indiana’s has endorsed Pelosi-Reid so-called stimulus bill and voted 32 times Bates (Howey Politics Indiana). “It is my pleasure to an- against Obamacare. Sen. Lugar publicly challenged the nounce my endorsement of Don Bates Jr for United States president on jobs and energy, forcing Obama to move for- Congress representing Indiana’s sixth congressional district. ward with the vital Keystone XL pipeline to produce more I know Don to be a principled man of strong faith and North American oil and 20,000 desperately needed jobs - conviction. His life has been spent living and working within including opportunities for 100 Indiana suppliers. And Sen. the district. It is here that Don learned the conservative Lugar’s opponents are wrong to suggest he isn’t “Hoosier values of hard work, fiscal responsibility and free market enough.” Dick Lugar was born, raised and attended public capitalism. Don’s experience of raising a family and man- schools in Indiana. He served on a local school board and aging a small business affords him the knowledge of the was elected mayor of his hometown, Indianapolis. He still burdensome intrusions and regulations placed on citizens operates the Indiana farm that has been in the family for by an all intrusive federal government. Don gives me hope generations. Dick Lugar left his home state on just three that America’s best days are not behind her, but rather HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 14 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 5, 2012

ahead of her as a new breed of constitutional patriots set ing, it only paid for past spending. “In fact we cut $2.1 forth to steady and steer our great nation towards a bright- trillion in spending as part of the debt ceiling bill,” Bucshon er future,” said Greg Fettig, founder of America ReFocused. said. Primary Horse Race Status: Likely Messer The Risk-Bucshon showdown came after Vander- burgh County Republicans denied Risk a chance to speak 7th CD: Walker endorses May at its Lincoln Day Dinner on Monday. Risk called it part Marion County GOP Chairman Kyle Walker and of a concerted campaign by party establishment figures eight Marion County Republican Township Chairs an- who “think they can shut me out” (Langhorne, Evansville nounced their endorsement of Carlos May. “Carlos May is Courier & Press). “The voters are the people that decide the best candidate to challenge and defeat Andre Carson,” who their representative will be, not the party,” Risk said. said Walker. Primary Horse Race Status: Likely May She added with a laugh that she came to Monday’s dinner not only to do some campaigning, but to show that she 8th CD: Risk, Bucshon face off can’t be cowed. “I don’t understand why people just think The Republican candidates seeking to represent that someone owns the (congressional) seat,” she said. Indiana’s 8th Congressional District presented two dis- GOP Chairman Wayne Parke and other party insiders have tinctly different choices to Wabash Valley Tea Party mem- acknowledged that in this year’s Republican primary, they bers Tuesday night in Terre Haute (Foulkes, Terre Haute favor Bucshon. “I wish she had not run. She’s not a bad Tribune-Star). Incumbent Rep. Larry Bucshon, a first-term lady,” Parke said of Risk. “It’s just that it’s the wrong race at member of the House of Representatives, presented a rela- the wrong time for her. I’d give anything if she had ran for tively pragmatic image to voters at Tuesday night’s meeting something else.” at the VFW Post at 12th and Mulberry streets. His oppo- Bucshon has the endorsement of the Indiana Right nent, challenger Kristi Risk, a Spencer Tea Party favorite, to Life, which says their support is based on his responses presented a more uncompromising image, especially re- to a RTL 2012 legislative survey and “your strong pro-life garding government spending and the size and reach of the voting record. Thank you for your support for the sanctity federal government. “I would have been a stalwart against of life, and best wishes on your important bid for office.” new spending,” Risk said when asked how she would have Primary Horse Race Status: Safe Buchson voted had she been in Congress during the past two years. Risk said she would have favored a budget proposed by SD24: Nine set for caucus Saturday Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. That budget would have balanced The deadline has now passed to file for Saturday’s federal spending much sooner than the budget put forward caucus to fulfill the balance of the term in SD 24. Here’s by Rep. , R-Wis., which Bucshon favored. “I think the final field of nine candidates: Jeff Baldwin, Den- there comes a time when we have to lay aside politick- nis Dawes, Dave Fuhrman, Nancy Marsh, Peter Miller, PJ ing and we have to lay aside the status quo and the way Steffan, Kelli Waggoner, Eric Wathen and Kim Woodward. things have always been done,” Risk said. “And we have to There is a candidate forum at 7 tonight at the Avon Town stand on principal.” In 2010, the federal government spent Hall. The caucus will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday at the more than it did during the “entire eight years (Bill) Clinton county government center in Danville and open to precinct was president,” she said. Bucshon, 49, also said control- committeemen or their proxies as well as media. ling spending is critical and described the Ryan budget as moving in the right direction within the context of what was SD13: Chamber endorses Sen. Glick politically possible last year. “The (Ryan) budget we passed The Indiana Chamber of Commerce announced last year got us close to getting back on the pathway, but today its endorsement of Sue Glick (R-LaGrange) for reelec- not far enough,” Bucshon said. One area of clear disagree- tion to the Indiana SD13. The appointed freshman senator ment between the two Republicans was over increasing the is being challenged by State Rep. David Yarde. “Senator federal debt ceiling last year to avoid a government shut Sue Glick is a very effective and committed lawmaker who down. Bucshon, who voted to increase the ceiling, said al- understands that job creation and economic growth must lowing a shutdown would not have been “responsible” and be top priorities for our state,” said Kevin Brinegar, presi- would have resulted in an even worse budget deal due to dent of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. “Senator Glick some members of Congress “panicking.” He also said shut- takes very seriously her role as a public servant and really ting down the government would have handed President goes the extra mile to dig into policy issues.” Primary Obama a reelection victory. “If we take what a majority of Horse Race Status: Leans Glick v the American people think is an irresponsible position, we will get this man reelected.” Bucshon also said the measure to raise the debt ceiling did not authorize any new spend- HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 15 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 5, 2012

Just as HPI and the South Bend Tribune did, au- Indictments rock the thorities contacted signatories to identify their signatures, citing 17 who attested to the apparent forgery in the charg- ing documents. Many more have since similarly disclaimed St. Joe Dem machine their signatures to reporters. The HPI/SBT investigation By RYAN NEES suggested that hundreds of voters’ signatures likely were NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The St. Joseph County Pros- forged. ecutor’s Office filed far-reaching charges this week against Howey Politics Indiana and the South Bend Tribune four persons in the 2008 presidential ballot petition forgery also hired a handwriting expert to evaluate the documents, case first reported by Howey Politics Indiana and the South making the same conclusions. Prosecutors don’t appear to Bend Tribune last year. The charges have taken this step in their investigation. sweep across the heights of the St. Jo- Instead, police rely on the cor- seph County Democratic machine, likely roborating accounts of Linda Silcott, the finally toppling an organization that Republican counterpart to Brunette in the dominated northern Indiana politics for Voter Registration Office, and of a former more than two decades. employee who began cooperating with the Butch Morgan, who resigned investigation after the HPI/SBT investiga- under a cloud of suspicion last year as tion was published. When HPI explained chairman of both the St. Joseph County the apparent plot to Silcott for the first party and the 2nd CD, was the highest- time last fall, she said she had “always ranking official charged. Affidavits been suspicious that this sort of thing was submitted by the Indiana State Police happening.” charge that he orchestrated a plot car- She would later make state- ried out by the other three. ments to the Indiana State Police, ex- Those three, the appointees he plaining how the petitions were circulated installed to lead the St. Joseph County within the office and revealing that the voter registration office, were also Democratic employees may have stamped charged. They are Pam Brunette, the her signature on petitions without her per- former head of the office, Bev Shelton, mission so as to gain the necessary Repub- her deputy of some two decades, and lican certification required of the allegedly Dustin Blythe, a former office em- faked documents. ployee. Brunette and Shelton were fired In the only interview Brunette has when the charges were announced given about the case, she told HPI last fall Monday. that she was “not a handwriting analyst, Each of the defendants entered so our job is basically making sure that preliminary pleas of not guilty at an (the petitions are) complete.” She denied arraignment Tuesday afternoon. Blythe, then, as she has since denied in court, alone among the three, remains in jail forging any documents. unable to post bond. Collectively the Prosecutors went to Republican four are charged with 30 felonies and Judge Jerome Frese Monday to file prob- face sentencing of up to 200 years. able cause affidavits and issue arrest The prosecutors’ allegations bear Mug shots of former St. Joseph warrants. Frese set the highest bail – striking resemblance to the wide- County Chairman Butch Morgan and $100,000 – for Morgan, the alleged leader ranging investigation HPI and the South Democratic co-director of the St. Joe of the conspiracy, even though the charg- Bend Tribune published in October. County Voter Registration Office Pam es he faces are the least severe of the Comparing petitions submitted by then- Brunette. four defendants. The case was randomly gubernatorial candidate Jim Schellinger assigned to Superior Court Judge John with those submitted by presidential candidates Barack Marnocha. Obama and Hillary Clinton, investigators discovered pages Morgan is charged with two counts of conspiracy of documents replete with duplicate names. Between peti- to commit petition fraud, both Class D felonies, and two tions, the names often appeared in the same order but in counts of conspiracy to commit forgery, both Class C different handwriting, suggesting that they had simply been felonies. Brunette faces two counts of forgery, both Class C copied wholesale. felonies, two counts of falsely making a petition, both Class HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 16 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 5, 2012

D felonies, and two counts of official misconduct, both to have sought to have it both ways – filing blockbuster Class D felonies. Shelton and Blythe have been charged charges against Morgan and his co-conspirators while with nine counts of forgery, all Class C felonies, and one distancing himself should the prosecution ultimately turn count of falsely making a petition, a Class D felony. sour. On Wednesday, Dvorak was unavailable for comment According to the St. Joseph County prosecutor’s of- on the substance or the timing of the potential conflict of fice, the penalty for each Class C felony ranges from 2 to 8 interest. years in jail. Class D felonies range between 6 months and Despite his geographical distance, 3 years in jail. special prosecutor Levco appears to have a number of con- Morgan’s next ap- nections to Morgan. The two were del- pearance in court is scheduled egates together at the 2004 Democratic for Dyngus Day on April 9, a National Convention and Levco served as prosecutor in Vanderburgh County remarkably symbolic affront V17, N8 Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011 to the man who reigned over at the same time Catherine Fanello ‘08 primary forgery brings probe the event since the 1990s. In served as a Democratic commissioner Fake signatures on Clinton, an email to St. Joseph County Obama petitions in St. Joe in that county. Fanello is the wife of Joe By RYAN NEES Howey Politics Indiana Zwierzynski, Morgan’s boss at DLZ, an Democrats inviting them to the ERIN BLASKO and KEVIN ALLEN South Bend Tribune SOUTH BEND — The signatures of engineering firm. Morgan donated to event, Morgan’s replacement dozens, if not hundreds, of northern Indiana residents were faked on petitions used to place presidential candidates on the state pri-­ Fanello’s state senate campaign in 2010. as chairman, , mary ballot in 2008, The Tribune and Howey Politics Indiana have revealed in The court appearance wrote that the charges added an investigation. Several pag-­ es from petitions Tuesday also drew attention to changes urgency to the party’s mission. used to qualify Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama Then U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton signs an autograph while touring Allison Transmis-­ in the defendants’ legal representa- “Make no mistake, for the state’s sion in Speedway. She almost didn’t qualify for the Indiana ballot for the 2008 pri-­ Democratic mary, which she won by less than 1 percent over Barack Obama. President Obama primary contain is shown here at Concord HS in Elkhart. (HPI Photos by Brian A. Howey and Ryan tion. Morgan, represented by LaPorte the local, state, and even names and signa-­ Nees) tures that appear to have been 0.;161.A2 6:(052996;42?)52=2A6A6<;@D2?2N921D6A5A52 attorney and HPI contributor Shaw national Republican Party will copied by hand from a petition for Democratic gubernatorial do everything they can to use Continued on page 3 Friedman last fall, has hired South Bend Romney by default? criminal defense firm Stanley, Tuszynski these developments to attack By CHRIS SAUTTER WASHINGTON -­ Barack Obama has often been described as lucky on his path to the presidency. But Mitt and Newman to represent him. Though our outstanding Democratic Romney is giving new meaning to the term “political luck,” as one Re-­ “A campaign is too shackley for publican heavyweight after another someone like me who’s a Blythe was represented by attorney officeholders, candidates, and has decided against joining the 0B??2;AN291<3$%0.;161.A2@3

Someone once likened the end of a legislative session to The two smartest ‘bleepers’ soldiers limping home from war. The Northwest Indiana delegation returned in pretty good shape. There are no battle scars if you don’t engage the enemy. in the Indiana Statehouse In terms of the betterment of Lake County, By RICH JAMES local legislators had two key things to get accomplished. MERRILLVILLE - It’s been a long time since Gordon Most importantly, they had the ominous task of saving bus Engelhardt and I parted ways. service for the second most populous area of the state. We said our good-byes in the rotunda of the That, of course, meant coming up with a permanent fund- Indiana Statehouse back when a guy named Bob Orr was ing solution. And nothing gets funded in this world without governor. As we parted company, I remember him saying, a tax. “You and I are the two smartest “bleepers” in this place. Legislators talked about this and that and ultimate- Gordon was headed for ly decided on stealing some of the casino taxes. For obvi- retirement as the Indianapolis ous reasons, that didn’t fly. So, rather than being states- bureau chief of the Louisville men and taking the bold move of providing a tax for bus Courier Journal. I was headed service, legislators opted to do nothing and instead virtually back to journalism in the real guarantee their reelection. And you can bet that you’ll hear world after covering the General some of them on the campaign trail talk about how they Assembly for seven years. protected their constituents by opposing a tax to fund bus Gordon was the best – a service. solid journalist and a wonder- You likely won’t hear many of them talk about the ful writer. He also wrote a light plight of the poor who will no long have bus service to get column each week. I still have his them to jobs. I suspect the thinking is that just because last column somewhere around gasoline is inching toward $5 a gallon, people don’t need the house. I vividly recall him tell- buses. ing me before he wrote it that the But while they opposed a tax for bus service, they dateline would be Oolitic, a small town south of Blooming- quietly stood firm in support of a local option income tax ton. He said he had never written anything with an Oolitic for Lake County. These are the legislators who froze the dateline. He also said the word gave him a warm feeling. levies for most units of government in Lake County because And at the end of that last column, he explained county officials refused to adopt an income tax. Because that if you close your eyes and slowly repeated “Oolitic,” the levy freeze started five years ago, local government that it sounded like frogs on a pond on a warm summer’s units are hurting. night. The cuts, including police and firefighters, have Gordon turned 90 a week ago. been dramatic. Let me tell you, my friend, that while we no longer According to NWI legislators, there will be no tax cover the Legislature, you were right when we departed for buses to help the less fortunate get around. But they do those many years ago. I still watch the place closely from want an income tax. Go figure. afar, and not much has changed. One hundred and fifty You were right, Gordon, we were the two smartest legislators convene once a year and pontificate with great “bleepers” in the place when we called it quits way back bluster about how they are there to save Indiana. Of then. v course they don’t save anything because they return a year later to try to do the same thing. Rich James is the former opinion page editor and It’s all about ego and doing what they need to columnist for the Post-Tribune in Merrillville. do to get reelected. Shoot, Gordon, many of those who were there before we arrived are still there today. Talk about being older than dirt. Northwest Indiana always has been Indiana’s stepchild. And the local legislators are kind of like caretak- ers. They want to do what’s right without ruffling feathers. Consequently they do very little. Take the legislative session that concluded last month. HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 18 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 5, 2012

sion. Indiana, so reliant on the motor industry, would have Lugar is a statesman, been devastated. Lugar voted for the successful effort to save Chrys- ler and General Motors, both now profitable and hiring and and Mourdock is not leading the climb out of recession. That’s held against Lugar by forces for the elimi- By JACK COLWELL nation of statesmen. They say anything supported by SOUTH BEND - Voters sometimes have weird ways President Obama must be opposed. They make it sound of selecting candidates, even voting against their own best as though Lugar voted to save Obama. No, Lugar voted to interests. save the American automotive industry and Indiana jobs. They are swayed by trivial non- Statesmen do things like that, thinking of their constituents sense - nice hair, nice smile or nice and the nation. sounding name of somebody not Mourdock thought instead of partisan politics nice at all. Or they are persuaded and his quest for support for higher office from the most by negative TV ads claiming truth is extreme Tea Party factions, those sure to vote in Republi- false, up is down or statesmanship is can primaries. evil. Trivial nonsense in the attacks on Lugar - what Statesmanship as evil is the Wall Street Journal calls “Mickey Mouse” - include the the real theme of multi-million-dollar remarkable claim that this long-popular Hoosier isn’t a Hoo- TV attacks in Indiana that seek to sier. destroy Sen. Dick Lugar and enable The fact that he chose to have his family with him Richard Mourdock, the state treasur- in Washington - never a secret - is cited as some kind of er, to win the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate. damaging revelation. Lugar is a statesman. Democrats are overjoyed that savaging Lugar could Mourdock is not. lead to Republican primary voters nominating Mourdock, Highly financed national forces for elimination of not the brightest light in a Statehouse chandelier - poten- statesmen now target Lugar, long the most popular of Hoo- tially another Christine “I am not a witch” O’Donnell. sier officials, so popular that Democrats didn’t even bother The Democratic nominee for the Senate will be to field a candidate against him when last he ran. He has Congressman Joe Donnelly. Although Donnelly won re- been known, nationally and internationally as well as in election despite the 2010 Republican tsunami, no political Indiana, as a statesman. analyst a year ago would have given Donnelly much chance Alas, statesmen by definition show wisdom, skill of upsetting Lugar. Now come the highly financed “Repub- and vision in conducting the public business. They don’t lican” efforts to destroy Lugar. The Democratic Senatorial always do what is politically expedient. They seek reason- Campaign Committee joins in for obvious reasons. able compromise, as the Founding Fathers did in forming The Washington Post reports that a Democratic poll the nation. And they don’t swear unquestioning support for found Lugar ahead of Donnelly by 13 percent for the gen- special interests that try to buy them. eral election, but Donnelly beating Mourdock by 6 percent. These special interests don’t want wishy-washy Even if Lugar survives in the primary, he could be so bat- concerns about the common good. They want unquestion- tered by the millions of dollars to belittle him that Donnelly, ing support for what they say is good. They want a puppet, with no primary opposition, still could win a Senate seat not a Lugar. once regarded as “sure Republican” in the GOP quest for While Lugar has been a consistent fiscal conser- Senate control. vative, with ratings and endorsements of respected conser- Do Republican voters think it’s in their best vative groups to prove it, he has upset some extreme and interests to retain a Republican seat and gain control of the extremely wealthy advocates of all-out, lock-step, anger- Senate? If so, they could be voting against their own best spouting partisanship - the type of partisanship making interests if persuaded by negative TV that statesmanship is Congress so popular. evil. v Mourdock doesn’t fit the definition of a statesman. If he did, he wouldn’t be supported by the special interests Colwell has covered Indiana politics over five de- now opposing Lugar. Mourdock showed no wisdom, skill or cades for the South Bend Tribune. vision in seeking in court as state treasurer to kill the suc- cessful effort to save the American auto industry. He would have let Chrysler fold and General Motors close as well as the nation teetered on the brink of a second Great Depres- HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 19 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 5, 2012

Abdul-Hakim Shabazz, Indy Politics - With ing Hoosiers’ personal incomes. Has he succeeded? Last a little more than a month to go before the U.S. Senate week, the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis released per primary in Indiana, one question to throw into the discus- capita personal income figures for 2011. Indiana came in sion is whether the Hoosiers who voted for 41st, at $35,550. Strictly speaking, that’s an increase from back in the 2010 primary will be the voters who decide $30,619 in 2004, the year Daniels was campaigning for his whether Richard Lugar or Richard Mourdock faces Demo- first term in office. But look at the ranking, and Indiana has crat Joe Donnelly in November? You may be saying that remained stuck in 41st place nationally since 2007. As we Stutzman is now a Congressman representing the 3rd Con- look at Daniels’ legacy as one of Indiana’s biggest agents gressional District, so why does he matter now? Go back of change in modern history, this is one area where that and look at the 2010 primary results. Dan Coats - 39.5%; success isn’t reflected. I don’t think it’s for lack of trying, Marlin Stutzman - 29.2%; John Hostettler - 22.6%; Don though. In his first State of the State address, in 2005, Bates - 4.5%; Richard Behney - 4.2%. Note, this analysis is Daniels said, “Government does not create jobs, it only based on a couple assumptions. First assume the votes for creates the conditions that make jobs more or less likely. Coats are true establishment Republicans, while votes for All our hopes in other areas depend on our ability to bring Hostettler, Bates and Behney were “anti-establisment/Tea about a more growth-friendly Indiana of rising incomes, Party” votes. Translate those totals into today’s race. That sales, and wealth. “And so the organizing objective of our means incumbent Richard Lugar starts with a baseline of administration will be higher personal income for Hoosiers. about 40% and State Treasurer Richard Mour- Every department is already being tasked with identify- dock walks in with about 31%; a 9-point dif- ing the actions and improvements it will make to ference, which is not too far off from the polls contribute to that goal,” Daniels said. The result, Mourdock and the Democrats have cited showing though, has been less than satisfactory. Among its a 6-point difference between the two candidates. neighbors in the Great Lakes, Indiana ranks ahead So with that assumption, one could argue the of only Kentucky. Illinois ranks 14th in the nation, fight is for those 29% of primary voters who with per capita personal income of $44,140. Watch came out for Stutzman; who you could argue the gubernatorial candidates this year, Democrat aren’t 100% tea party, but not so much establishment that John Gregg and Republican Mike Pence, discuss how the they will go along 100% of the time. So where are they? state will try to accelerate personal income growth over the According to the 2010 results they are in the 11 coun- next four years. But be realistic, too, and know that turn- ties that Stutzman won… LaGrange 73%, Kosciusko 48%, ing around this figure isn’t likely to be done in four years. It Steuben 47.4%, DeKalb 47.5%, Marion 34.9%, Hendricks sure hasn’t been done in the past eight years. v 34.9%, Clay 35.9%, Putnam 35%, Johnson 35.5%, Shelby 34.5 %, and Rush 36.9%. However, if there is a 50-50 split Dan Thomasson, Evansville Courier & Press: It amongst Stutzman voters, working from these results as probably isn’t a great idea to pass legislation that a majori- a baseline, Lugar wins 54-44, over Mourdock. For Mour- ty of the people oppose, particularly if a substantial number dock to win, he would need to pull close to 70% of the of them regard its provisions as an unwanted burden. Just Republicans who voted for Stutzman in 2010. Of course the thought of the government telling them what’s good for there are several other factors at play as we enter the last them sets a good many Americans’ teeth on edge. But the month of the primary season; the Presidential primary and Affordable Care Act, the health care reform championed is it pretty much a done deal by the time primary comes by the Obama administration, is in many ways a perfect along? How well do Lugar and Mourdock perform in the example of a widely unpopular solution to the thorniest of April 11 debate? What role will the Super PACs play in the domestic issues: how to make sure the physical well-being home stretch? Will there be an implosion in either of the of citizens is paid for. That, on the surface, is what the U.S. campaigns’ political operations? Will residency still mat- Supreme Court will determine in the next few months. The ter? And then there is just the unpredictability that comes greater question is if, in attempting to safeguard Ameri- along with any political season. However, for the purpose of cans’ health, Congress constitutionally can impose on them this analysis, if the campaigns are smart, they have already a requirement to pay up or be fined. At the moment, it identified who those “Stutzman” voters are and will work appears that the court’s decision could go either way. Es- to get them to the polls on May 8, because at this point, sentially, an even larger matter is up for settlement: Just no one can take any vote for granted nor leave any stone how much power the federal government has to dictate to unturned. v the people without severe restructuring of the Constitution. Where this drama ends is anyone’s guess. As cases go, it Doug Ross, NWI Times: From the beginning, is at the very top in emotion and difficulty as any court has Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels has been focused on improv- seen since it ruled in the 2000 presidential race. v HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 20 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, April 5, 2012

transparent opportunity to confirm IDOR chief resigns accountability for all public funds. We INDOT warns on in lost revenue case expect to work in cooperation with campaign signs the Department of Revenue and the INDIANAPOLIS - The head Governor’s Office with the intent that a INDIANAPOLIS - Spokesman of Indiana’s Department of Revenue preliminary report be provided by early Greg Prince says campaign signs are is resigning after state officials found September to the State Budget Com- banned from federal and state right of that $205 million in local option mittee and legislative leaders with an ways. That basically means that cam- income tax money owed to counties update between the filing of the report paign signs shouldn’t block or distract wasn’t distributed (Evansville Cou- and when the final audit is released. motorists on roadways in Indiana. By rier & Press). State budget director We appreciate that the Administration law, INDOT personnel must remove Adam Horst on Thursday blamed the is taking the necessary steps to make unauthorized signs within so-called problem on a programming error. The the local units whole, but we need right of ways (WIBC). Right of ways problem with distribution of the local to move forward at this time with an include: interstates and interchanges, income tax money comes months independent audit that is transpar- intersections linking local, state or after the state found $320 million in ent, thorough and done in a bipartisan federal roads with state or federal corporate taxes that were collected fashion.” highways and all rights of way that run over four years but not transferred to parallel to federal or state highways. the state’s general fund. The revenue Prince says rights of way also extend department says Council questions to the rear of road ditches and up to the mishandled fence lines or utility poles. money will be Rebuild Indy funds distributed with INDIANAPOLIS - City-County Jobless claims interest to the Council Democrats are looking at 91 of Indiana’s fall to 357,000 whether some money earmarked for 92 counties neighborhood improvements should WASHINGTON - New applica- that have local go to public safety instead (WTHR-TV). tions for jobless benefits fell by 6,000 income taxes. An outside audit will be The police and sheriff’s departments to 357,000, further evidence that conducted of the agency’s procedures. face a combined budget shortfall U.S. employers likely added a healthy Department of Revenue commis- of $32 million. While those depart- number of workers to their payrolls in sioner John Eckart will step down after ments search for ways to cut costs, March (Wall Street Journal). seven years leading the agency. House Democrats are reviewing Rebuild Indy Speaker Brian Bosma and Senate Pro funds. Rebuild Indy is the mayor’s Tem David Long issued the following initiative to fix sidewalks, roads and Romney sharpens joint statement today regarding the bridges across the city with proceeds programming error announcement by from the sale of the water company attack on Obama Department of Revenue and the Office to Citizens Gas. That sale netted the of Management and Budget: “We have WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney city $425 million. Of that roughly, $230 been informed by the Administra- took a sharper line of attack against million is left. “We are looking at Re- tion of the discovery of an additional President Obama on Wednesday, ac- build Indy. We’re looking at all funds. reporting error related to the distribu- cusing the Democratic incumbent of We need a large pot of dollars that will tion of local option income taxes to waging a “hide-and-seek campaign” offset the shortfall,” said Council Presi- local units of government. Based on that disguises his intentions and offers dent Maggie Lewis. “The mayor would this newest report, we believe that no solutions for the country’s most in- strongly oppose that,” said mayoral an independent audit jointly selected transigent economic problems (Wash- spokesman Marc Lotter. Lotter said and retained by the Administration ington Post). Romney’s comments to the Rebuild Indy money has already and the State Budget Committee is in the American Society of News Editors been earmarked for scores of projects. the best interest of all Hoosiers. Joint in Washington were a forceful rebut- “If the council thinks it’s going to use engagement of an independent audit- tal of the criticism that Obama had money for something other than infra- ing firm will allow the Administration lodged against him before the same structure, they’re going to have to tell and legislative leaders of both par- audience a day earlier, when the presi- neighborhoods which projects will not ties to have full access to the results dent described the GOP as a “radical” get done,” he said. of the audit and provide the most party. v