Battle for House Centers on Open Seats
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V16, N40 Thursday, June 30, 2011 Battle for House centers on open seats favoring each party, though one of those battles may not Democrats will aim at 8 GOP happen if State Rep. Peggy Welch decides to seek the 9th CD Democratic nomination. freshmen; Knollman, McClain In the four districts that feature at least two incum- may retire, avoiding primary wars bents from a single party, retirements are likely in two of the seats. And sources in both parties tell HPI that State By BRIAN A. HOWEY Rep. Chet Dobis is considering a move from HD14, where INDIANAPOLIS - The first sequence of the Battle he would face fellow Democrat Vernon Smith in a heavily for the Indiana House in the second 21st Century decade African-America district, to the open HD15 seat nearby. will likely take place in 14 open seats, including 10 that While no final decisions have been made, State were redrawn without an incumbent. Reps. Tom Knollman - placed in HD68 with freshman Re- The four seats that include Republican and Demo- crat incumbents appear to be split - on paper - with two Continued on page 3 Public investment lacks By MORTON J. MARCUS INDIANAPOLIS - Last week, the New York Times ran a story under the headline “Indi- ana: The Exception? Yes, but …” The “I never thought in a million article gave a factual presentation of our state’s economic circumstances, years that politics would get so but with an overriding sarcasm that left a bad taste in Hoosier mouths. personal and dirty.” Probably this piece was - Secretary of State Charlie White, assigned to the reporters before our Governor withdrew from the presi- after the Indiana Recount Commission dential primary race. However, since ruled he could stay in office on Tues- they already did the work, and it was day a slow news day, an article depict- HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 2 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, June 30, 2011 ing the difficulties of the denizens of mayor pave the most damaged streets Indiana must have seemed harmless. in his city. Only by clinging to gam- The problems of Indiana bling money can communities from remain unchanged by receiving atten- Evansville and Vevay to East Chicago tion in the New York Times. Some of and Hammond finance necessary proj- www.HoweyPolitics.com our fellow citizens were incensed by ects. the Times story; others shrugged and Our repeatedly reelected continued to wait for the basketball General Assembly insists on making Howey Politics season. paupers of our cities, towns, coun- Indiana Despite growth in real personal ties, and school districts. These local is a non-partisan newsletter income for six consecutive quarters, governments now beg for funding to based in Indianapolis. It was the Hoosier state demonstrates little maintain ordinary public services. founded in 1994 in Fort Wayne. more than mediocre economic ad- Would anyone want to invest vances. In the first quarter of this in Indiana when the quality of our year, real personal income rose 0.86 communities crumbles under the fiscal Brian A. Howey, Publisher percent in Indiana and 0.84 percent in burden of a Tea Party mentality? Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington the nation. Few can rejoice over such Soon our low taxes will be all Jack E. Howey, editor statistical noise. that we have to offer investors. Beverly K. Phillips, associate For the past year, we grew by Ironically, the New York Times 3.05 percent and the nation by 3.09 was able to see all this while most editor percent. Since the start of the recent Hoosiers remain blind to the disinte- recession, Indiana scratched out a gration of our state. Subscriptions mere 0.17 percent growth in real per- And we were offended! $350 annually HPI Weekly sonal income while the nation limped Few candidates for mayor in at 0.66 percent. this year and the two candidates- $550 annually HPI Weekly and This is our ongoing problem. In presumptive for governor in 2012 HPI Daily Wire. good times and bad, Indiana generally don’t talk about these matters. The 'Call 317.627.6746 fails to match or exceed the national so-called “social agenda” of abortion rate of growth. We may not choose and gay marriage are more important the hardships of a leadership position, to voters than the “survival agenda” of Contact HPI but dare we settle for 25th or 33rd a state in danger of becoming a hole Howey Politics Indiana position in the economic derby of the in the map between Detroit/Toledo 6255 N. Evanston Ave. 50 states? and Chicago, Dayton/Louisville and St. Indianapolis, IN 46220 We boast our fiscal position is Louis. www.howeypolitics.com sound, but we cannot claim our public We have the money to flourish services meet responsible standards. as a state. We lack sufficient insight [email protected] Part of the problem is money. We and the necessary will to be more than 'Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 don’t want to invest in Indiana. mediocre. v 'Washington: 703.248.0909 We want the private sector 'Business Office: 317.627.6746 to invest in our state, but the neces- Marcus is an independent econo- sary public investments in educa- mist, speaker, and writer formerly tion, public health, public safety and with IU’s Kelley School of Busi- © 2011, Howey Politics Indiana. transportation are lacking. Our political ness. All rights reserved. Photocopy- leaders fear a public that does not see ing, Internet forwarding, fax- the connection between private afflu- ing or reproducing in any form, ence and public goods, a public unwill- whole or part, is a violation of ing to bear higher taxes or fees in exchange for improved public services. federal law without permission Only by leasing the Toll Road from the publisher. v was the governor able to finance sig- nificant infrastructure improvements. Only by selling off or leasing public facilities can the Indianapolis HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 3 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, June 30, 2011 McClain is signaling he will retire instead of taking on Lehe Battle for House, from page 1 in the GOP primary. publican Jud McMillin - and State Rep. Rich McClain, who HD68: Republican State Rep. Tom Knollman will face fellow Republican Don Lehe in the new HD25, would face freshman State Rep. Jud McMillin. Knollman has are pondering retirement. That would leave a Republican health problems and is at the top of the list of potential primary showdown between powerful Ways & Means Chair- retirements. The new HD68 is also much more Republican man Jeff Espich and State Rep. Dan Leonard in the new HD friendly since many Democratic areas were cut out. 50. HD50: Ways & Means Chairman Jeff Espich and Other potential retirements could include Repub- Republican State Rep. Dan Leonard look like they will have lican State Rep. Dick Dodge in HD51 and Democrat State a primary showdown. We give an early edge to Espich in Rep. Sheila Klinker in HD27, where she will likely face a what will likely be a marquee GOP primary race in 2012. strong Republican opponent in a district that leans to the GOP, and in HD86 where State Rep. Ed DeLaney faces a Democratic Intra Party Seat much more potent GOP electorate. Indiana Democratic HD14: State Rep. Chet Dobis is exploring a move Chairman Dan Parker told HPI on Wednesday that he ex- into the open HD15, thus avoiding a primary showdown pects Klinker and DeLaney to seek reelection, with State Rep. Vernon Smith in a heavily African-American In addition to Rep. Welch seeking to challenge U.S. district. The problem is that Dobis has to live in the district Rep. Todd Young, sources tell HPI that State Rep. Mary Ann for a year before the November 2012 election. So Demo- Sullivan - now in a 47 percent Democratic HD97 - is weigh- crats are looking at overlapping precincts between his cur- ing a challenge to State Sen. Brent Waltz. rent district and the new HD. Mike Gentry, who heads the House Republican Campaign Committee, told HPI that the caucus will focus Republican vs. Democrat incumbent seats on the 10 open seats without incumbents while protecting HD20: Republican State Rep. Tom Dermody incumbents. Parker said his party will try to pick off seven was paired with Democrat State Rep. Nancy Dembowski. Republican freshmen. Sources in both parties say this is a Democratic district that Gentry cautions favors Dembowski. Republicans from getting HD45: Republican State too complacent about Rep. Bruce Borders faces the new maps. “In 2002, Democratic State Rep. Kreg Democrats lost seats with Battles in what is now a their new maps,” Gentry distinctly Democratic district. said, noting the chamber While Borders is a tough went from 53/47 in 1998 and personable campaigner, and 2000 to 51/49 Demo- Battles will be the early crat in 2002. And had favorite. State Rep. Jim Atterholt HD53: Republican State not lost by a handful of Rep. Bob Cherry would face votes, the chamber would Democrat State Rep. Scott have been tied at 50/50. Reske in this new district Both Gentry and that is distinctly Republican. Parker acknowledged it Indiana Democratic Chair- is far too early to under- State Reps. Bruce Borders (left) and Kreg Battles are poised for a man Parker says that Reske stand what the dynamic November 2012 showdown. is “keeping all of his options will be like 17 months open.” Cherry hasn’t had a from now. But HPI believes that up to 30 House districts tough race in years, while Reske defeated new 5th CD Re- could be in play in either the 2012 primary or general elec- publican Chairman Kyle Hupfer in one of the most expen- tions.