V 15, N29 Thursday, April 8, 2010 Time running out to catch Coats 4 rival GOP Senate candidates have less than a month to build ID and drive an issue By BRIAN A. HOWEY INDIANAPOLIS – For a statewide candidate to drive up name identification in order to credibly deliver a message that could help win an election, even a primary, the price tag is somewhere in the $1 million range to purchase 3,000 to 4,000 gross rating points, sans the Chicago broadcast TV market. For that reason, with less than a month to go before the Republican U.S. Senate primary, the window is quickly closing on candi- dates not named Dan Coats. will “do statewide radio over the last two weeks” along with To date, none of the five candidates are running phone banking during that time span. any media or sending direct mail. None has demonstrated Asked how much support he would need to wrest any robust early FEC numbers or leaked head-to-head the nomination away from Coats, Hostettler drew on his polls showing that Coats is vulnerable. Coats is expected to 1994 primary victory in the 8th CD. “I’ll need anywhere begin his TV campaign next week. His perceived top chal- lenger, former Congressman John Hostettler, told HPI he Continued on Page 4 Marlin our Scott Brown? By CHRIS SAUTTER WASHINGTON - He’s never posed nude for Cos- mopolitan and his children are too young to appear on American Idol. But Indiana State Senator Marlin Stutzman believes he is positioning himself to be the Scott Brown in “There won’t be any balance left this year’s race to succeed Indiana’s retiring U.S. Senator Evan Bayh. in Indiana if we don’t keep the Last week, Stutzman’s campaign sent out a national e-mail solicita- House.” tion for funds portraying him as the - House Speaker B. Patrick next Scott Brown-type candidate who will capitalize on the “quiet revolu- Bauer at Dyngus Day in South tion of ideas and action that is taking place among grassroots voters.” The Bend on Monday Page 2 Thursday, April 8, 2010 Howey Politics Indiana is a nonpartisan, by subscription Inter- net publication based in Indianapolis and published by NewsLink, Inc. It was founded in 1994 in Fort Wayne. Columnists articles are independent opinions and do not represent the views of the publisher. Brian A. Howey, Publisher Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington Jack E. Howey, Editor fundraising pitch follows a recent Assembly that makes him acceptable Beverly Phillips, Washington Examiner Opinion Edito- to both mainstream Republicans and Associate Editor/Business Operations rial by former Reader’s Digest editor Tea Party supporters. Ken Tomlinson entitled “Can a Hoosier Stutzman was motivated Subscriptions: farmer produce another Massachusetts to get involved in politics by the 9/11 $350 annually HPI Weekly miracle for Republicans?” terrorist attacks. He told me in a tele- $550 annually HPI Weekly & Tomlinson sees Stutzman, like phone interview that it was a visit to HPI Daily Wire Massachusetts’s Brown and Florida Elkhart last year by President Obama U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio, as that prompted his decision to chal- Contact Us: the kind of younger and fresher face lenge Evan Bayh for the U.S. Senate. Howey Politics Indiana the Republican Party needs to change Stutzman said that in conversations 6255 North Evanston Avenue its public image. Republicans are with local business leaders after the Indianapolis, IN 46220 struggling to overcome damage to the event, he was told that Bayh never 317.627.6746 party brand caused by its dismal 2008 meets with them and that calls to the presidential campaign and national Senator’s office are routinely left unan - www.howeypolitics.com Chairman Michael Steele’s leadership, swered. He concluded that Bayh had including the furor over the party grown out of touch and didn’t listen. [email protected] holding a fundraising event at a North He says Bayh’s problem is one shared Howey’s Mobile: 317.506.0883 Hollywood lesbian bondage strip club. by most politicians in Washington and Washington: 202.256.5822 Some in the party fear they will blow that the widespread disconnect is fuel- Business Office: 317.627.6746 their chance at regaining control of ing the populist rage against govern- Congress if they put up the same old ment. ©2010, Howey Politics Indiana. faces in this year’s midterm elections. Stutzman touts his back- HPI is a subscription-based publica- Stutzman fits the definition ground as a farmer and business- tion. All rights reserved. Photocopying, of fresh as well as anyone in the party. man. He says he knows how to make Internet forwarding, faxing or repro- Like Scott Brown, the 33-year old state government responsive and takes ducing in any form, in whole or part, Senator from rural Northeast Indiana his share of credit for helping Gov. is a violation of federal law without is good looking, energetic, and comes Mitch Daniels tackle Indiana’s fiscal permission from the publisher. across as genuine. He also has solid and economic challenges. Stutzman conservative credentials based on a is promoting an agenda of “common voting record in the Indiana General sense ideas” for America. He wants a Page 3 Thursday, April 8, 2010 moratorium on the capital gains tax to spur economic de- Stutzman likes the contrast Bennett has set up. velopment. He also supports banning earmarks and prohib- “The choice is between a new and fresh vision for the iting new spending on entitlements and bailouts. future and candidates who have been in Washington and Stutzman’s message is resonating with Hoosier bear some responsibility for our problems,” he told me. rank-and-file activists. He is racking up Republican straw “I’m not Washington, but I’m not inexperienced. I am the poll victories and endorsements from colleagues in the In- only candidate who can deliver practical common sense diana General Assembly. Stutzman’s campaign seems to be change.” If Republican primary voters hear that case, Mar- the only one so far to generate any real excitement at the lin Stutzman likely would be the next Scott Brown. grassroots level. Aside from Stutzman’s lack of cash, his problem To be sure, former Senator Dan Coats is the clear is that Indiana’s Republican primary is not simply a choice frontrunner in the May 4 Republican primary. Coats holds between Stutzman, the likeable Hoosier conservative with all the advantages money and establishment support state experience, and Coats, the establishment candidate provide. Every time State Party Chairman Murray Clark who has been in Washington too long. If Stutzman picks up speaks he makes it clear the organization steam, the ultimate beneficiary could be for - is backing Coats. But Coats is also car- mer 8th District Congressman John Hostet- rying establishment baggage in a year tler. Public polling that has measured the in which anti-establishment sentiment is relative strength of Republican candidates boiling over. against Democrat Brad Ellsworth suggests To say Hoosiers greeted the that Hostettler is currently running even or Coats candidacy unenthusiastically is possibly ahead of Coats. an understatement. Interviews by the While Stutzman’s criticisms of Indianapolis Star and Evansville Cou- Coats have been soft and subtle, Hostet- rier-Press with ordinary voters reveal tler’s have been hard and direct. In a 2- great reluctance to fall in line behind minute video ad entitled “What Happened Coats’ Washington-generated candidacy. To Dan Coats” released on April 5, Hostet- Coats’ years away from the state and tler hits Coats for voting to confirm Ruth work as a Washington lobbyist draw into Bader Ginsberg, an “extreme supporter of question his commitment to the kind abortion,” to the U.S. Supreme Court and of change that is needed, according to State Sen. Marlin Stutzman is mak- voting for the Brady Bill. The spot appears some. ing a national fundraising appeal on conservative blogs, where some char- Those feelings have been exas- while picking up the Indiana Right to acterize Coats as a “Neo-Con anti-gun bail- perated by a video which surfaced show- Life endorsement. (HPI Photo) out lobbyist.” These are Republicans, mind ing Coats talking about retiring in North you. Carolina because it is “a better place” to Hostettler is a notoriously poor fundraiser live than Indiana. Democrats have been and is also likely to have limited television highlighting controversial clients for whom his firm has lob - advertising. Nonetheless, Hostettler is expected to hold on bied, including an oil company that partnered with Venezu- to support in his geographic base of Southwestern Indiana elan strongman Hugo Chavez. as well as his libertarian-leaning supporters throughout the But Coats still enjoys solid support among many if state who tend to be very loyal to him. not most Republicans who regularly turn out for primary Although his campaign has been sluggish, Coats elections. His money advantage translates into substan- can probably buy his way into the general election. The Re- tially more television advertising than Stutzman will be able publican establishment will do everything possible to avoid to afford. Stutzman concedes his name identification is low. a Hostettler nomination, which is why Coats was recruited He told me he raised about $120,000 so far this year, no- in the first place. where nearly enough to overcome Coats’ advantages even If Coats survives the Republican primary, he faces assuming Stutzman has a superior organization. in the general election another good looking, energetic, But Coats hasn’t run a campaign since 1992, but well-funded former sheriff named Brad Ellsworth. Dan and the rust is showing.