V24, N14 Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018

INGOP reaches its political, policy apex Chairman Hupfer surveys the Braun victory, his metrics and what’s coming for the Next Level By BRIAN A. HOWEY – There couldn’t be a more emphatic contrast when it comes to major party chairs Kyle Hupfer of the Re- publicans and John Zody of the Democrats. Hupfer is essentially undefeated in statewide races and federal seats beyond the 1st and 7th CDs. Zody has been shut out, save for three House seats and a Senate pickup this cycle, coming after a GOP shakeup in 2016 that brought about the Donald Trump/ dy- namic that has dominated ever since. For Hupfer, Mike Braun’s dispatch- ing of Sen. was the culmi- over a year,” Hupfer said in a Howey Politics Indiana inter- nation of a two-year effort that reached across multiple view on Monday at a northside Indianapolis Starbucks. platforms, party entities and campaigns. “Not only did we have good funding, we had early funding where we could Continued on page 3 really build up that infrastructure over the state for well Welcome to Trumpiana By JACK COLWELL SOUTH BEND – This is Trumpiana. The state, with new name or old, resisted the blue wave that swept across much of the nation on Tuesday. The wave, near a tsunami in some states, brought “I am proud of Indiana’s Democratic control of the U.S. House and flipped seven efforts to pursue Amazon’s head- governor offices from red to blue. Rolling across neigh- quarters. Responding to this bid boring Michigan, it propelled showed the world that Indiana Democrats to significant victories there, almost pulling has become a global destination under long-popular Republican and a thriving community for Congressman Fred Upton in Michigan’s 6th District. tech.” But the wave stopped at the state line in Michiana. - Gov. Eric Holcomb, on No blue water seeped across. Amazon HQ2 Page 2 Indiana was the Red Sea. Trumpiana. could drive away Republican support With the decisive defeat of in key suburban areas and in signifi- Sen. Joe Donnelly and easy reelection cant demographic groups in much of of all seven of the state’s Republican the nation, making it impossible to House members, Trumpiana’s congres- retain control of the House. sional delegation stands at nine Re- Trump, understanding that publicans, only two Democrats. Those chances of retaining the House were two surviving Democrats couldn’t lose, slim anyway, chose to concentrate Howey Politics Indiana running in House districts stacked with on destroying the vulnerable Sen- as many Democratic voters as pos- ate Democrats up for reelection in WWHowey Media, LLC 405 sible in gerrymandering. Republicans states where he won big for president. Massachusetts Ave., Suite control all offices elected statewide Retaining control of the Senate was a 300 Indianapolis, IN 46204 and retain overwhelming majorities better prospect. www.howeypolitics.com in both houses of the state legisla- Thus did Air Force One take ture, leaving minority Democrats with off so often, almost as regularly as a about as much power in the legislative scheduled commercial flight, for states Brian A. Howey, Publisher chambers as they would have if they like Trumpiana. He sought to fire up Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington stayed home. his base. Get it to view those Demo- Cameron Carter, Editor Even some states in the cratic senators as radical accomplices Joel Weyrauch, Editor Solid Red South Mary Lou Howey, Editor turned purple, not blue, but Mark Curry, Daily Wire, photo a competitive Jacob Curry, Statehouse purple. Ted Cruz Jack E. Howey, Editor was in a very Emeritus competitive race in Texas. Texas! There also were Subscriptions competitive HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 races in HPI Weekly, $350 and . HPI Mobile, $5.95 monthly Georgia! Missis- sippi!!! Ray Volpe, Account Manager Why 317.602.3620 was Trumpiana email: [email protected] less competitive than Mississippi in a in the march of the evil caravan. Get big race? it sweeping to the polls. A wave of its Give credit where political own. Contact HPI credit is due – to President Trump, for Trump proclaimed “a big [email protected] whom the state now is named. Trump victory” for himself in results of key Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 held back the waters. The blue wave races he targeted. Indeed, the Senate Washington: 202.256.5822 that Democrats thought they saw will have a bigger Trump-supporting coming to keep Donnelly in the Senate majority. Business Office: 317.602.3620 and upset some Republican member Sen.-elect Mike Braun on of Congress. They fanaticized that the election night proclaimed again that © 2018, Howey Politics wave could leave Congresswoman Trump provided the inspiration for him Indiana. All rights reserved. vulnerable in the 2nd to challenge Donnelly. He said Trump’s Photocopying, Internet forward- District. campaigning for him had “a huge Republicans on the national impact.” Huge. ing, faxing or reproducing in scene, such as House Speaker Paul Some Republican strategists any form, whole or part, is a Ryan, wanted Trump to tone it down. thought Trump should stop crowing violation of federal law without Stop spreading fear at rallies about about Senate confirmation of Brett permission from the publisher. a caravan of bad people, really bad, Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court marching to the border to spread because many women believed allega- crime, disease and terror. Talk instead tions against him. Trump knew better. about a robust economy. They knew In campaign-close rallies, the presi- his divisive taunts, criticized as racist, dent hammered away at Donnelly for Page 3 voting against Kavanaugh. Donnelly knew that vote was and the caravan energized the Trump base and beyond to hurting him, especially with the way Senate Judiciary Com- change the state’s name. mittee Democrats overplayed their hand. He was hopeful This is Trumpiana. v voters would forget that and turn to other issues as they went to the polls. Colwell has covered Indiana politics over five de- Trump wouldn’t let them forget Kavanaugh, cades for the South Bend Tribune. portrayed as the real victim. The Kavanaugh controversy

It was a very strong effort from top to bottom, kind of Hupfer Interview, from page 1 below the radar for the most part, though we were talking Asked about Indiana’s evolution into basically a about it. I do think it was a factor that contributed on Elec- one-party state, Hupfer played it down. “I always go back tion Day. to athletic analogies and the easiest way to start a down- HPI: So, the Braun campaign did not have to ward trend is to think lowly of your opponent,” he said. build its own voter contact regimen. Hupfer wouldn’t commit to serving into 2020 when Hupfer: We were working hand in hand with Mike his friend and ally, Gov. Holcomb, seeks a second term. Gentry and Josh Kelley during the entire campaign. Actu- But Hupfer says the party is performing at an optimum ally, at different times we moved staff over to the state. level and has two critical assets, President Trump and Vice So, folks who had been working on the Braun campaign President Pence, that made a huge impact in Braun’s vic- moved over to the state party doing the same job because tory over Donnelly. funding was there. It was a coordinated campaign and Here is our HPI interview with there was no need for them to duplicate Chairman Hupfer: that effort. But, they were involved in it HPI: What kind of voter out- from day one. reach were you able to execute and the HPI: Did your voter outreach out- role that played in the mid-terms? class the Democrats? Hupfer: There were a couple Hupfer: I honestly don’t know of things that set us apart. First was what they did. I don’t know what their the team that we have. We’re strong state party did or their team did. But, from top to bottom of the ticket. We obviously, it wasn’t a big effort. were strong with the seven congres- HPI: Do you know what kind of sional candidates, super-majorities held money advantage you ended up with? I in both the House and Senate. We had know Braun out-raised Donnelly by the a strong team behind them for voter end of October. contacts. We had a program between Hupfer: Maybe we’ll have it in the Republican Party, the Republican December. We may not know until next National Committee, the Mike Braun year until we get the final reports all put campaign and also the House and Sen- together. ate campaigns – all were coordinated HPI: I was monitoring the legisla- in a way that hasn’t happened before. tive races and Republicans have money Obviously, some significant funding advantages pretty much across the board, came in from the Republican National with only a few of the races even. It looks Committee where, by the end, we were like the Democrats were completely out- over 30 paid staff, over 30 interns. We had great data. We raised and out-manned. We’ve essentially become a one- were getting good data back from our fieldwork. We made party state. 2.5 million voter contacts. We made calls with connections Hupfer: I’m not quite there. I always go back to and voicemails plus doors. It was unprecedented, probably athletic analogies and the easiest way to start a downward two or three times anything we’ve done before. trend is to think lowly of your opponent. The difference is HPI: The HRCC guys were saying the level of sup- we’ve tended over the last 14 years not to look to our op- port this cycle was unprecedented from the state party. ponent as our measure. We’ve looked at the slogan, “Party Hupfer: It was a team effort. They were a big of Purpose,” we’ve used over these last few years, and the part of it as well. Not only did we have good funding, we “Right Track Results Tour,” we’ve gone to measure against had early funding where we could really build up that ourselves. But more importantly, we’ve convinced Hoo- infrastructure over the state for well over a year. We hired siers we’ve created a brand here in Indiana that Hoosiers the best people to be out there and trained well over respect and they’ve now given us this truly sacred trust of 1,000 volunteers who were out there doing all that work. holding every statewide office and super-majorities in both Page 4 the House and Senate. We can’t rest on our laurels. We’ve Chuck Schumer, his votes on key issues. That’s going from got to double down and deliver results to Hoosiers with a pulpit with not a lot of money behind it, but we earned good policies, continue to be very transparent, measure media and (gave) a lot of speeches around the state. Ob- everything we’re doing for well over a decade. That’s really viously, the Braun campaign ginned up heading into that. our measurement, moving everything forward and taking The RNC and the Senatorial Committee put a lot of money it to the next level versus trying to figure out what the behind that message. I thought the Kavanaugh vote was Democrats are going to do. That’s not really what we’ve the culmination of all of those efforts in a way that we done for a long time. could never spend enough money on advertising. Every HPI: I cannot find a gubernatorial challenger for Hoosier got to see, front and center, the decisive vote and the governor’s race. Nobody is really plunging into it at this they got to see whether Joe Donnelly was going to stand point. Is that your take? with the values that they had, or the values of Chuck Hupfer: Again, I focus on the things I can control. Schumer. It was every TV station, every news article, there There will eventually be a candidate in was a ton of earned that race and we’ll address that when it media around that. So, happens. In the meantime we’ll focus on I think that was kind what we can control. of the cliff. Some folks HPI: President Trump came to who were undecided campaign for Mike Braun four times, was who had been hearing here in Indiana five times, and Vice Pres- this message and won- ident Pence was here four or five times dered, “Where does for different events and fundraisers. In Joe stand?” got to see my final forecast in the Senate race, the a clear articulation of Trump factor led us to give Braun the that in that vote. You edge. What was the impact of that activ- started to see numbers ity? move after that. Hupfer: He had a big impact, HPI: I thought particularly the last two visits. It was the Sen. Donnelly jumped ultimate icing on the cake, right? We had this two-year a little too early on that, announcing his no vote in the coordinated effort. When the president’s coming into areas hours after the testimony from Dr. Ford and Judge Kava- we know we can take more enthusiasm and more effort to naugh, instead of waiting for the FBI probe the following turn out the vote, that’s what he and the vice president’s week. It turned up no corroboration. That’s the one thing visits accomplished. They spoke to their supporters, they I heard from Republicans, particularly men, who thought created an unbelievable amount of energy during the last it was patently unfair that high school-era allegations, that two weeks. They filled two stadiums and had thousands would be impossible to prove or corroborate, could be more outside. I wasn’t out there to count them, but there used against a person. were a lot of people who didn’t get in. At Southport, there Hupfer: We heard some of that around that time. was an overflow room with several thousand who didn’t It was a very highly publicized position for Sen. Donnelly. get into the main arena. It’s a level of enthusiasm the Everyone saw it, and I think it became a little bit of a ba- president has a unique ability to generate. It certainly rometer of, as least for some voters, how they were going helped in the last week and took the excitement for the to vote on Election Day. Republican Party to a crescendo right before the election. HPI: Are you going to stay on through 2020? HPI: Going into the 2020 presidential race, what Hupfer: I haven’t really thought about it. It was a should we expect? very interesting race when you couple with what we didn’t Hupfer: Apparently at a press conference last talk about, which was the statewide tour. It was somewhat week, the president confirmed that Mike Pence was going unprecedented for Gov. Holcomb to spend three full days to be his running mate. I took that as an announcement on the tour, showed his commitment to the ticket. We had for reelection that I assume will kick off real soon. I think Sen. Young on some of the stops, the various congres- you’ll see reelection rallies across this country for the next sional candidates and Lt. Gov. Crouch were on it. We were year and a half. seeing the numbers, but we could also feel the excite- HPI: Did you notice in your internal polling an in- ment. By the time we reached Lake County on the Satur- creased intensity level due to the Justice Brett Kavanaugh day night before the election, and there’s 300 screaming story? folks at 8 o’clock, I left that feeling like it was 2016 again. Hupfer: I don’t know if I’d use the word “inten- I’m not sure if it wasn’t a little more. sity.” What I was told was that as a party, we spent two HPI: Do you feel the union guys were still on years trying to get the message out as to who Joe Don- board with President Trump and, thus, the ticket? The nelly really was in Washington, D.C., how he voted, what tariffs don’t seem to be having an impact. I’m not seeing his record really was. That he supported Nancy Pelosi and the policy impacts playing out politically. Page 5

Hupfer: No, I think they’re seeing the benefit of that, you’re missing the picture. The election results and the tax policy and I think they’ve done a good job of talk- us holding these offices are the result - not the cause - in ing to the farmers who see this as a long-term policy initia- the equation. They are the result of well over a decade, 14 tive. If you don’t fix it at some point, they will continue to or 15 years now, of us moving strong Republican policy. fall further and further behind. I think they appreciate the Hoosiers like what they’ve seen from the Republican Party. effort. I think getting a North American trade deal done They see record low employment, a record amount of was helpful, as well. They knew if you get that piece done, job creation last year, Gov. Holcomb is on track to exceed that moves farmers along. that again in 2018, they feel real good about where the HPI: How can you top what you’ve got now? economy is at and the jobs. The governor is focused on Going back to the early 1980s, we haven’t seen one party workforce and the opioid crisis and the progress on those this strong. Particularly if 75 to 80% of county officehold- things. I think it’s just a brand that has been built up over ers are Republican. time. Our focus as a party needs to be not on trying to Hupfer: I think if you start going and looking at cling to every single seat in the state, but the next level. v

2016 and didn’t get much better for Joe in 2018. Zody claims support to HPI: I spent a lot of time this past year talking about the suburban vote and the educated females there. It seems like those were the areas you made some pick- continue Dem rebuild ups like Crown Point, Carmel, the Louisville suburbs. The By BRIAN A. HOWEY Devon-Westerhausen race in the Granger area was real INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Democratic Chairman close. Do you see these as areas where you will have bet- John Zody didn’t win much last Tuesday, but told HPI on ter prospects in 2020? Tuesday that he has the support of his Central Commit- Zody: I do. I do think we’re going through a tee, has laid out a plan for 2020, and will seek to defend realignment here. The numbers in 2016 – it was a little incumbent mayors and legislators as the party searches harder to say. Some say there were problems with poll- for a gubernatorial nominee. Zody ing, but the numbers were better this time. You pointed wouldn’t name names, but said out in your Daily Wire that margins in these Republican that he and other Democrats are areas really evaporated. Todd Huston went from 20 points having deep talks on a potential to 8 points. Speaker Bosma, where J.D. Ford won. Those challenger to Gov. Eric Holcomb. (areas) are trending and those are growth opportunities. Here is our phone inter- We can’t ignore any area of the state and I think we have view with Chairman Zody: some opportunities in rural Indiana, but certainly we see HPI: What do you think was the cause for Sen. opportunities in those suburban areas. Donnelly’s defeat? HPI: The CNN exit data had the Latino turnout at Zody: You can point to a number of 3%, when they are things. I’m not one to prescribe one specific thing. 6% of the popula- I think you can look at the state which President tion, so that’s a Trump won by 19% in 2016. Joe Donnelly kept demographic where this race competitive until the very, very end. We Indiana Democrats got our vote out in some places and underper- seem to be under- formed in some counties around the state. The performing with. margins were different than they were in 2012, Zody: We but the numbers where Sen. Donnelly finished just need to keep told us that there’s a bit of a realignment going talking to every on in the state. Certain areas got further away Hoosier we can. and certain areas got closer, like the suburbs We continue to around Indianapolis, particularly around Hamilton diversify the party, County. diversify our ticket. HPI: Where were the areas that under- In 2018, we started performed? Lake and Indianapolis? out with a goal Zody: Actually we did pretty well in and stated several Lake and Marion. It was the rural areas. We’re still going times that we had more first-time, more female, more through the results county by county, but we’re looking at Millennial-age candidates than we’ve had in recent memo- the rural areas that supported the president very heavily in ry. We had a very diverse statewide ticket. We understand Page 6 that for the state to change, we have to make sure we’re erywhere this year. Where do you stand as far as getting talking to every Hoosier out there, that Democrats stand a challenger to Gov. Holcomb? for them and what they stand for. Zody: There are a lot of people talking about it. HPI: In the Senate race, I thought that Braun I’m not going to name names today, which I know will was taking an advantage in the final 10 days or so, and disappoint you. then there were those two polls that showed Sen. Don- HPI: Damn. nelly leading, by 7% in the Fox News Poll and 3% in the Zody: There are people talking about it. Anybody NBC/Marist Poll. And yet, I left the race a “Tossup” with an who is understands what the path forward is for a Demo- edge to Braun because President Trump and Vice President crat in Indiana. I think we’ll have a good candidate, if not Pence were coming back multiple times and you cannot several. I think we’ll have to see who emerges and where underestimate their brand here. Was that the turning point the folks around the state want to go. We have a lot of in your view? good folks who have started the conservation. Zody: I personally have never put personalities HPI: Redistricting is actually huge. Your legisla- as the deciding factor in any race. They helped energize tive candidates got about 55% of the vote and the GOP the bases. It was clear the Trump base was energized, but still has super-majorities. What’s your strategy for reap- ours was, too. We had great base turnout in certain coun- portionment in 2021? ties. I don’t think it was the deciding factor. You saw those Zody: I’m glad you asked. We held or won nine trends in 2016. The race stayed competitive. Joe Donnelly legislative districts that President Trump won. So, with closed that gap quite a bit. The president finished 19 and gerrymandered districts, we had J.D. Ford beat an incum- a half points up and Sen. Donnelly’s final margin was 6 to bent for the first time in decades. We had three pickups 7 points, so that gap was closed. I think the Republicans and are one seat away from taking away the super-ma- had the president come in because it wasn’t a done deal. jority in the House. We’ve got to keep moving north. We HPI: The exit polling I’ve seen suggests there was need to make sure we have a good incumbent protection a “Kavanaugh effect.” Do you agree? program in 2020 for the good folks who got elected this Zody: It could have had an impact. Joe did the year in the House. I don’t think we can analyze this elec- right thing there. We knew there could be political conse- tion and not talk about gerrymandering. It’s been one of quences there and he stands by it. I don’t think there was our five key messages. As Democrats, it’s something we one single factor there. need more legislative action on if the courts don’t decide HPI: We had 57 women file for General Assembly our way. And so, it’s both a policy issue that we feel very seats. You had Courtney Tritch and Liz Watson raise a lot strongly about, but it’s also a political factor. We had some of money in the 3rd and 9th CDs, as well as Mel Hall in victories in some very gerrymandered districts. We just the 2nd, and yet none of them even came close despite have to keep moving north. outraising their opponents. We went through the various HPI: President Trump instead of touting record challengers in Indiana House and Senate races and a lot of employment and the economy, just kept playing the race them ended up in the 30th and 40th percentile and they card. Address the tone the president set and what oppor- lacked money. Was money the critical factor there? tunities might lie there for Democrats. Zody: You always have to have resources. In all of Zody: A president does set the tone. I think he those race, they were first-time candidates. We had more wears thin on people. I think there’s been an opportunity first-time candidates running for the Statehouse. We’re for Democrats to talk about what the party stands for and grateful for everyone who ran. We hope they consider we’ll keep talking about that. People do want a positive running again. We set out with the goal of recruiting folks alternative. We’re for public education, we’re for access to to run and the new members are either women, first-time health care, we’re for strong borders, to make sure people candidates or Millennials. You’re are treated equally and are seeing the party grow in these secure under Indiana law, races where we picked up seats, and gerrymandering. Chris like Lisa Beck, Chris Campbell and Campbell talked about those Chris Chyung, as well as J.D. Ford. things this year and won. So, We’re seeing movement. I will say I think that shows the mes- in the 5th CD, those numbers have sage can be effective. It was been closer than in the past. persuasive. The president’s HPI: Let’s talk about tone takes care of itself, but 2020. That will be a huge election. I do think that he does set Last spring you said that whoever a tone that wears thin on ran for governor needed to be out people. supporting candidates. We saw HPI: I’ve written that the Mayor McDermott, Christina Hale, Democratic Party has re- and John Gregg seemed to be ev- turned to where it was in the Page 7 early 1980s, that it has just the two congressional seats, clerk-treasurer candidates. That’s where people get their no Statehouse offices, the Republican super majorities, the feet wet in local government and learn operations. We defeat of Sen. Donnelly. Make the case that Indiana isn’t a have a lot of great Democratic mayors across the state one-party state. and we can build the bench of the party. We’re not a one- Zody: The first thing that comes to mind when party state. We’ve got plenty of good Democrats elected you say that is the emails I started getting immediately around the state. after November 2016, the number of candidates we had HPI: Is it your intention to stay on as chair running, from township advisory boards all the way up through 2020? And, if so, do you have the support of your to Congress. The energy is there, people are getting out central committee? and doing things. That’s how we rebuild. In the early ‘80s Zody: Yes, I have the support of the central com- I was in kindergarten, but I do know that the energy was mittee. I was told that last week and I intend to stay on as there; the new Democrats entering the General Assembly long as I can have a positive impact. The job isn’t about is a new bench that’s building. Going back to rural Indi- me. Last week, we laid out a plan for where we go next. ana, we’re going into municipal elections and we have to I’ve been on the phone and we’ve got a lot of activity protect our Democratic mayors who are running again. already and a lot of people are on board. I plan on sticking We’ll recruit not just mayors, but city council, town council, around here for a while. v

rance, retards progress. Ready to live Can we break the shackles of bipartisan greed? Electoral distortion is not exclusively practiced by Demo- crats or Republicans. Whoever holds office when the cen- in a democracy? sus numbers are released shapes our politics, our policies By MORTON MARCUS and our priorities for one or more decades. INDIANAPOLIS – You probably noticed the 2018 On this past Election Day, 999,000 Hoosiers elections are over, except in states where recounts are voted for the nine Democrats running for Congress while proceeding or in bars, diners, and 1,247,000 selected the Republican candidates. The out- family rooms where pride and disbe- come: Seven Republicans and two Democrats will repre- lief are in conflict. sent us in the next Congress. Now what? If we want to restore That’s 78% of our congressional delegation will integrity and responsibility to gov- hold office with 55.3% of the vote. Conversely, 44.3% of ernment, redistricting is imperative. voters secured just two congressional offices. (Another If we understand the need for fair 0.4 percent of the votes went to other candidates.) Many taxation and meaningful regulation, people will see this imbalance as a serious denial of ad- redistricting is the first big step. If we equate representation for a million Hoosiers. are to pass the environment to future Of the nine seats, the 1st District gave Democrat generations as our greatest asset, Visclosky 65.1% of the vote. Republican Walorski, next redistricting is urgent. door in the 2nd district, won with a mere 54.8%. The Across this land legislatures are median victor in the state scored 65.1% while the me- less responsive to the electorate than to the moneyed men dian loser garnered 35.6 percent of the vote. The median and women. Public service has become private enrichment spread: 28.5%. in too many cases because legislators can, and do, choose We could move to proportional representation their voters. where, if the Republicans get 55% of the vote, they are Congressional district boundaries are redrawn entitled to five of Indiana’s nine representatives and the following a census of the population every 10 years. Cities, Democrats get the other four seats in Congress. That’s towns, counties, school corporations and other govern- a much bigger change than drawing district boundaries mental units follow suit in most instances. Political power without thought of past voting patterns. is supposed to follow the people as they move and add to Nonpartisan commissions are the answer sev- their families. eral states have chosen. But would the men and women Every two years we are supposed to have the ensconced in the yield any of ability to retain or replace all or part of legislative bodies. their power to steal the voting rights of Hoosiers? v But if the district boundaries are drawn to protect political party favorites or punish those with opposing views, the Mr. Marcus is an economist. Reach him at mortonj- game is rigged. Stagnation sets in. Experience is valued [email protected]. Follow his views and those of more highly than expertise. Caution, often based on igno- John Guy on “Who gets what?” wherever podcasts are available or at mortonjohn.libsyn.com Page 8

8% of the total, though this group is 9.1% of the state’s Mining down in exit population), and Latinos 69-24%. Latinos constitute 6% of Indiana’s population but comprised only 3% of the turnout, meaning that this demographic is significantly data on Braun upset underperforming for Democrats. That must be considered By BRIAN A. HOWEY a missed opportunity for Donnelly and Hoosier Democrats INDIANAPOLIS – After further review, the call on after President Trump used the immigrant caravan and the field of play stands. Mike Braun wins the U.S. Senate other race cards predominantly in the homestretch of the race by a touchdown. Actually, make that 50.9% to 45% campaign, continually disparaging Mexico while referring with Libertarian Lucy Brenton finishing with 4%. There to our southern neighbors as “breeders,” “rapists” and was no need for an Adam Vinatieri PAT. “criminals.” But what gave Braun the edge? For more answers Donnelly carried college grads 52-45% and on that front, we turn to CNN’s female college grads 56-40%, while Braun carried the non- exit polling. Some have cast doubt grads 58-37%. This fits part of the profile of Democrats on the array of exit polling this performing better in suburban areas, but Donnelly didn’t cycle that was conducted individu- turn out enough of them. ally by the networks, but in talks What impact did the Justice Brett Kavanaugh story with Indiana Republican Chairman have? On the question of whether Donnelly’s “no” vote Kyle Hupfer, a lot of the Repub- was a factor, 69% said yes and 24% said no. With vot- lican Party’s internal polling matches up with CNN’s exit ers who thought it was an important factor, Braun carried results. them 54-38% while Braun edged out the incumbent 48- First, let’s update some of the actual returns. 47% for voters who didn’t think it was a factor. Donnelly Donnelly ended up with a 99,000-vote lead in Marion carried by a 56-39% margin voters who thought it was a County and a 50,000-vote lead in Lake. He won St. Joseph by 17,000 votes, Monroe by 19,000, Tippecanoe by about 3,800 votes, Porter by a little less than 14,000, LaPorte by 4,000 and Vigo by just 341 votes. Donnelly carried just eight counties, which reinforces the notion that Hoo- sier Democrats are only viable in urban clusters and the university metros. Braun rolled up his 134,201 plurality (as of Mon- day) by winning dozens of rural counties in the upper 60th to 70th percentile. There was some suburban support erosion, with the Republican winning Hamilton County by just 11,000, Hendricks with 59%, Boone with 56% and the rest of the Indy doughnut counties with 60% or more. Donnelly won the female vote by just 3%, or minor factor. 49-46% with Brenton at 5%, which was a serious erosion So, the answer to that $64,000 question was that from 2012 when he won females by 10%, or 52-42%. there was a “Kavanaugh effect” and it hurt the Democrat Donnelly and Braun tied at 46% with the 18-29 age group, incumbent. Had the Christine Blasey Ford allegations not but Braun won the 45-64 age group 54-43% and the over surfaced and the sensational controversy not taken place, 65 crowd 56-43%. On this front, Donnelly’s emphasis on this probably would have been a closer race. health care issues and pre-existing conditions did not pay Donnelly tried to appeal to a slice of President off. Trump’s supporters. Exit poll respondents approved of Braun carried the white vote 57-39, including Trump 55% to 44%. Braun won Trump supporters 87-10% white men 62-35% and white women 51-43%. Donnelly while Donnelly won those who disapprove 88-7%. Don- carried African-Americans 86-13% (which constituted nelly won moderates 58-37%, Braun won 88% of conser- Page 9 vatives, and 71% of evangelicals. Sen. that the incumbent was vulnerable As for decision-making, 12% made their decision because he could not escape the lower 40th percentile. in the last few days, 6% in the last week and 15% in the In that last Fox News Poll that was not only an outlier but final month. Braun won the last month breakers 55-41%, obviously off the mark, Donnelly had a 7% lead at 45- which fits the general rule that the challenger will feast on 38%, while the final NBC/Marist Poll had Donnelly up 48- the undecideds. 46%. Both those surveys were obviously off, but the fact The other telltale that sat there right in front of that Donnelly rarely found a perch close to 50% was the our face is that in most polls, Donnelly couldn’t crest the ominous sign that he faced an uphill battle that became 45% range. We noted in October that Donnelly had told reality. v HPI during ’s primary challenge to U.S.

Dee Moore in There was a pink wave HD18 (23.9%), Karen Salzer in HD30 (38.7%) in Indiana, but it and Amie Neiling in HD32 (28.4%). wasn’t fully funded Democrat Kimber- ly Fidler received By BRIAN A. HOWEY 31.2% in HD44, INDIANAPOLIS – There was a pink wave in Susan Diagana Indiana. When the gavels drop on Organization Day next had 28.9% in week, there will be 30 women in the General Assembly out HD47, Martha of 57 who filed for primary races. Lemert 26.7% In Congress, there were seven women who won in HD52, Nancy nominations, with Republican U.S. Reps. Jackie Walorski Tibbett 29.3% in and returning while Democrats Courtney HD53, Corrinne Tritch (35%), Tobi Beck (35%), Westerfield with Dee Thornton (43%), Jeannine 27.8% in HD55, Lee Lake (33%) and Liz Watson Cindy Reinert (43%) came up short. Those per- 36.7% in HD58, centages were reflecting of their Sarah Stivers with vote totals. Tritch and Watson 34.6% in HD70, both out-raised their opponents, and Paula Finch at 37.8% in HD87. U.S. Reps. and , but Banks Those who did cross the 40th percentile in- defeated Tritch 64.7 to 35.3% while Watson got just cluded Naomi Bechtold in HD24 (41.6%), Jennifer Culp 43.5% against the freshman Republican. in HD36 (44.4%), Aimee Cole in HD38 (45.4%), Michelle The new faces in the Indiana House include Re- Callen in HD40 (42.3%), Evelyn Brown in HD42 (39.6%), publican Rep. Christy Stutzman who was uncontested in Penny Githens with 41% in HD60, Amy Swain with 43% an open seat, and in the Senate, Republican Linda Rogers. in HD62, and Poonam Gill with 44.5% in her race against Democrats will welcome into the House Carolyn Jackson, Speaker , losing by a little under 4,000 votes. Ragen Hatcher, Patricia Boy, Lisa Beck, Chris Campbell, A majority of those struggling to be competitive Tonya Pfaff and Dr. Rita Fleming. There were nine women were Democrat. They were running in gerrymandered who ran for the Senate, with three other incumbents districts designed to be locks for incumbent Republicans (Sens. Karen Talian, and ) return- when the maps were forged in 2011. Republicans have ing. held super majorities since 2014. In the House, 26 women won seats, while 26 While the GOP has had the Lugar Series as a prep- lost. There were several trade-offs, with Beck defeating aration organization that teaches women the art of run- Republican Rep. Julie Olthoff, and Campbell upsetting Rep. ning and winning campaigns over the past three decades, Sally Siegrist, 56.7 to 43.3%. Indiana Democrat commenced Hoosier Women Forward When you look at support, many of the nominees this year, with 22 chosen for its first class. just didn’t fare well in the general election format. While The lesson of the 2018 “pink wave” is that many Democrat Patricia Boy won with 60% in the open HD9, Hoosier women were ready to step up and serve. But there were dozens who struggled to reach even 40%, most came in uncompetitive districts and beyond incoming including Loretta Barnes in HD13 (29.8%), Christina Zacny representatives Boy, Beck, Campbell, Pfaff and Fleming, in HD16 (29.8%), Michelle Livinghouse in HD17 (32.7%), Page 10 simply didn’t have the financial resources to mount serious making up 20% of its ranks. There were 200 women who campaigns. filed for congressional primaries, with 94 winning crowded Democrats made meager gains in the General primaries. Assembly, just four seats across the two chambers, so they According to Forbes Magazine, previously, the head into the final cycle before the 2021 reapportionment most women who had advanced were 167 in 2016, ac- maps with very little resources or power to make more cording to records kept by the Center for American Women districts competitive in the third decade of this century. and Politics at Rutgers University. A record 19 women Nationally, a record 110 women (at this writing, won Senate primaries and 13 women were nominated for with four races still undecided), will be joining Congress, gubernatorial races. v

While generally celebratory of her historic feat, their char- A history of the slow acterizations of her qualifications are cringe-inducing to modern audiences. The Muncie Evening Star, for instance, raved about her election not because of her leadership rise of women in the skills, but because she was “the kind of a woman who can fry waffles to a crisp at breakfast-time without burning Indiana legislature them and always has dinner ready on time.” Since Nelson’s service, at least one woman By TREVOR FOUGHTY has served in every session of the General Assembly. As INDIANAPOLIS – Julia Nelson (R-Delaware Coun- the 2018 elections capped the first century of women in ty) never set out to be the first woman elected to the legislative office, perhaps it’s fitting that some character- Indiana General Assembly. A long-time suffragette, Nelson ized this year as a sort of “Pink Wave.” By the numbers at was 56 years old in 1920 when women first had the right least, the “Pink Wave” seems to have crested a little higher to vote in Indiana. She chaired than the anticipated “Blue Wave.” While Democrats netted the Delaware County Republi- a four-seat gain in state legislative races, women netted can Women’s Club that year in five. The result is nine new female legislators with 35 total order to encourage women to between both chambers, an all-time record. utilize their new right (and to As the following chart shows, progress has indeed encourage them to vote Repub- been a sort of slow-rolling train, but one that’s built quite lican when they did). Then on a head of steam in recent years. Nelson served only a Saturday, Oct. 30, 1920 — just single term, but was replaced in 1922 by Elizabeth Rainey days before the November 2 (R-Marion County), whom many consider the first woman election—incumbent State Rep. to win a general election for a state legislative seat. Rainey J. Clark McKinley (R-Delaware also served just a single term, but was followed by two County) suddenly died. more women in the House in 1924, two more in 1926, Local Republican leaders and three in 1928. In the 1930’s, no session ever featured quickly made the decision to more than one woman in the House, and more often than reward Nelson’s efforts by run- not it was Bess Robbins Kaufman (D-Marion County), the ning her in McKinley’s place and by that evening she was officially a candidate for office. Barely 72 hours later, they were celebrating the accomplishment of sending the first woman to the General Assem- bly. Because it is unclear if Nelson’s name actually replaced McKinley’s on the ballot, or if party leaders merely decided she would be the recipient of McKinley’s votes, most sources today consider her only to be the first woman to serve in the General Assembly, and not the first to be elected (since McKinley was the original candi- date). But newspaper articles from 1920 make it clear that at the time they considered her to be the first elected. Those same articles offer proof, if needed, that progress can be a slow-rolling train. Page 11 first woman to serve more than one term (she won election in 1932, 1936, and 1938). While women constituted this small minority of elected House members through- out the 1920’s and 1930’s, the onset of World War II saw women make progress in terms of their numbers as many men went off to war. In 1942, a then-record six women were elect- ed, including Arcada Balz (R-Marion County), the first woman elected to the Senate. Balz won a special election that year to replace Sen. Edward Green (R-Marion County) after he resigned to serve in the U.S. Navy. She won a full term of her own in 1944, also Democrats (left) and Vi Simpson made Indiana General Assembly his- making her the first to serve multiple Senate tory. terms. that served in that body in the 109th and 110th (1994- It wasn’t until 1964 that a woman was elected 1998), and the 13 that served in the 116th (2008-2010). to serve in both chambers when Marie Lauck (D-Marion It’s worth noting that the General Assembly from 1990 to County) was elected to the Senate after having been 2010 saw an average of 13 female senators and 16 female elected to a single term in the House in 1958. Lauck’s feat representatives; since 2010, the number of representatives would not be repeated until Julia Carson (D-Marion Coun- has grown to an average of 23 (an increase of 43%), but ty), who was the first African-American woman elected to the number of female senators has dropped to an average the House in 1972, and the first African-American woman of nine (a decrease of 30%). elected to the Senate in 1976 (a distinction she shares While the number of women serving continues with Katie Hall, D-Lake County, also elected to the Sen- to grow steadily, the number of women who have served ate that year; both Hall and Carson would go on to be in legislative leadership posts has been slow to catch up. elected to the U.S. House, with Hall being the first African- While four women have served as the nominal presiding American of either gender elected to the U.S. House from officer of the Senate by virtue of being the lieutenant gov- Indiana). ernor (Kathy Davis, Becky Skillman, Sue Ellspermann, and Carson’s election to the House in 1972 also ), no woman has ever served as Senate coincided with the first year in which women reached a president pro tempore or ppeaker of the House. double-digit number of members (10 total; seven in the Sen. Vi Simpson (D-Monroe County) is the only House, three in the Senate). Since then, female legislators woman ever to serve as minority leader, the highest rank- have always been in double digits. Since 1988, there have ing post for the minority party, in either chamber during been at least 20 (the first year they hit that milestone); a legislative session. The only other woman to head a and since 2008 there have been at least 30 (33 women legislative caucus is Rep. Linda Lawson (D-Lake County). were elected in 1994, the only year prior to 2008 in which As some may recall, she served as the House minority there were more than 30). leader for an interim period of about four months in 2012 This progress culminates at the start of the 121st after Democrats ousted Pat Bauer (D-St. Joseph County) in General Assembly, which will feature 35 women when it a surprise July caucus held in West Lafayette, but she only convenes. That bests the previous record of 33 who served in the 109th (1994-1996), 116th, 117th, and 118th (2008-2014) General Assemblies. The House will see 26 women on the floor this session, a record for that body just surpassing the 25 that served in the 118th (2012 to 2014). The other nine will serve in the Senate, down from the record of 14 Page 12 agreed to hold the position until just after that November’s since 2006 (2010-2012 was the only period with five, election. when Simpson, C. Lawson, L. Lawson, Sipes, and Richard- Going down the ranks gets a little tougher, both son were all in top leadership roles). But this will be the because the records aren’t easy to find, and also because first session since women broke into these roles that Re- there are a seemingly endless number of “assistant” and publicans won’t count one among their leadership, and this “deputy” titles that get handed out while coalition-building leveling off has occurred even while the number of women around leadership elections. In the interests of space and in legislative offices has increased 25% since 2006. time, I’ll focus just on the positions of floor leader (or as- Regardless, women start their second century sistant floor leader in the Senate Democratic Caucus) and of elected service to the state with continually increasing caucus chair, as they are the traditional #2 and #3 spots numbers and growing influence around the Statehouse. in each caucus. It appears that only 11 women have ever Consider: The women serving in the 121st General Assem- held these ranks, all since 2000 (please let me know if you bly make up 21% of all the women who have ever served, see any omissions). and 75% of all women legislators in history (123 out of This session, four women will be serving in the 164) have served since the start of the 112th (Nov. 8, top 12 spots. This seems on par with recent history, as 2000, and after). Even for a slow-rolling train, that’s quite between three and five women have served in those spots a bit of momentum. v

when he became chairman of the Education Subcommittee Wither the impactful on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education. When Gov. Mike Pence resigned his gubernatorial renomi- nation to run for vice president in 2016, Rokita was one GOP class of 2002 of four Republicans to seek the gubernatorial nod from By BRIAN A. HOWEY the Republican Central Committee. After a dramatic two INDIANAPOLIS – Wither the Republican Class of weeks, much of it playing out at the Republican National 2002? They’ve all moved on, one way or Convention in Cleveland, he finished another, these four conventioneers John third, behind Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb McGoff, Richard Mourdock, Mike Delph and U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks. and . But, golll-eee, as a His political capstone cluster of throbbing and exultant political to date came with the 2018 U.S. humanity, they sure changed the Hoo- Senate race, where Mike Braun sier State. reduced him to a cardboard twin After one of the most suspense- with House colleague ful and intricate convention floor fights in the Republican primary, where he in a generation, it would be Rokita who finished second, 10 points behind would emerge as the victor after a four- the future senator-elect. ballot showdown at the Indiana Conven- will succeed Rokita in January, but tion Center in a drama that featured op- if his tenure is short, Rokita could eratives and players such as Bob Grand, end up back in the 4th CD, or make , John Keeler, Jack Cottey, a run for governor in 2024, which is Phil Borst, Jonathon Byrd, Tom Schneider, something he’s aimed for with his Bettye Lou Jerrell, Sue Ann Gilroy and career arc. GOP Chairman Jim Kittle. Mourdock comes in at No. Rokita was destined to a pair 2 for his post-convention legacy. of terms as secretary of state, where he The Vanderburgh County commis- would lead a clever campaign to reappor- sioner went on to win two terms as tion in 2011 with tidy, compact districts state treasurer in 2006, defeating that essentially moved most of the con- rising star Democrat Pete Buttigieg gressional and General Assembly seats in his 2010 reelection bid. out of the reach of Democrats. Not all Then Mourdock pulled Republicans were on board. Rokita pissed off an amazing upset, defeating off Senate Republicans so much that in legendary U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar 2011 they drew him out of his own con- in a primary landslide in 2012. The gressional district. Todd Rokita and Dr. John McGoff during the Tea Party, U.S. Chamber, NRA and Rokita went on to win four 2002 secretary of state campaign, and U.S. Club For Growth figured him to be a terms in the 4th CD beginning in 2010, Rep. with State Sen. Mike Delph. heavy favorite in the fall, but within Page 13 a month of his primary victory, Mour- Richard Mourdock dock gained a reputation as a loose won a landslide cannon, failed to bring along the Lugar 2012 Republican wing of the party, and needed adult primary against U.S. supervision for most of the summer Sen. Richard Lugar, and fall. In his final debate (his partici- but failed to close pation coming only at the last minute), ranks in the GOP Mourdock made what is considered to and then lost to be the epic blunder of Hoosier politics Rep. Joe Donnelly in the young 21st Century. Asked about after an epic debate abortion, Mourdock could have simply blunder. said he had been endorsed by Indiana and national Right to Life groups. Many believed he would have won the debate and perhaps the close elec- tion. Instead, he matched Missouri’s Todd Akin’s rhetoric, and developed a statewide network of evangelicals and declaring that God willed pregnancy by rape. It created Tea Party cells. In 2012, again in 2016 and once more one of the first Twitter and social media firestorms, and prior to this year, his advocates in these circles urged Mourdock was defeated by U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly by 7%. Delph to seek a U.S. Senate seat, but he declined, citing Was the Class of 2002 impactful? As you can career and family considerations. Heading into the 2018 see thus far, yes. U.S. Senate race, Delph appeared at Rokita’s campaign There was Dr. McGoff, a brigadier general and kickoff and endorsed his old rival. As with the three oth- former Marion County coroner, who challenged U.S. Rep. ers in this class, Delph played on a statewide stage. He’s Dan Burton three times, beginning in 2008 in races that in- young enough (age 48) that he could re-emerge down the cluded Burton, Luke Messer, and State Rep. Mike Murphy. road. In 2012, Burton was to face McGoff, David McIntosh, Jack One of my favorite political stories from this Lugar and Susan Brooks. When Burton abruptly resigned, unique cluster of talent features Delph. In the June 17, it was Brooks who won the seat. McGoff has gone on to 2002 edition of The Howey Political Report, we reported: wield considerable influence in Indiana military and medi- Rex Early was lying in the recovery room at the hospi- cal circles. tal just after his hip replacement surgery last winter. He Finally, there is Delph, the former legislative aide peered from his morphine-altered state and saw … Mike to Burton who was defeated for a fourth term in the Indi- Delph, Republican candidate for secretary of state. Awhile ana Senate last week by openly gay Democrat J.D. Ford. later, the former Republican chairman asked his wife, ‘Was In 2005, the Carmel Republican won an upset caucus Mike Delph in here? Or was I hallucinating?’ No, Mrs. Early victory against Wayne Township Trustee Dan Gammon to said, Mike Delph had been there, seeking Early’s signature replace State Sen. Murray Clark. Delph worked a coalition for filing documents.” of social conservatives and suburban Republicans for what Rarely have we seen a grouping of such talent, was more than a mild surprise. He would defend his seat ambition and impact as we’ve had with Rokita, Mourdock, in 2006, again 2010 (when he faced future Rep. Robin McGoff and Rokita. They ended up changing Indiana in Shackleford), and once again in 2014 with a 54-46% vic- subtle to profound ways since those dramatic convention tory over Ford. Delph’s career comes to a temporary halt days in 2002. v after increasingly Democratic Pike Township and Marion County helped turn the tide in one of the few legislative dis- tricts represented by a Republi- can that backed Hillary Clinton in 2016. That Ford would defeat Delph was a rare act of political retribution from the Democratic Party, LGBT and pro-choice wings, given the Republican’s career legacy on abortion, im- migration and several attempts to place traditional marriage in the state constitution. As a state senator, Delph cultivated Page 14

the white, male and uneducated voter demographics. A slo-mo Democratic They had to court Millennials and Latinos and end efforts to curtail gay rights. In the mid-terms, Trump doubled down on his kickoff escalator rhetoric, mostly ignored the wave laps at Trump thriving economy and record employment (though he led By BRIAN A. HOWEY with those issues at his Southport HS rally on Nov. 2), and INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Republicans are a emphasized warnings about the migrant caravan throb- giddy bunch. They love and have emphatically embraced bing with breeders, rapists and lepers in the campaign President Trump. Vice President Mike Pence has stocked homestretch. the federal administration with dozens of Hoosiers, and Axios CEO Jim VandeHei and analyst Mike they control wide swaths of the Allen probe deeper into this play: “Trump has locked his health, agriculture and intelli- party into a white-man strategy, using the pre-midterm gence sectors. rallies to amp up fears of immigrants and change. The And when the curtain strategy held the Senate for the GOP, since this year’s bat- dropped on Election Night, Sen. tlegrounds were largely rural. But white men are shrink- Joe Donnelly’s head joined that ing, and will continue to, as a proportion of the electorate. of Evan Bayh, Glenda Ritz and Think of it this way: There’s not a single demographic Ned Stark on the castle crest trend in America that benefits Republicans.” pikes (this last is a “Game of While South Bend Tribune columnist Jack Col- Thrones” reference for those of well has dubbed the Hoosier State as “Trumpiana,” some you in non-HBO dwellings). cracks appear. Democrats J.D. Ford, Chris Campbell, Lisa With characteristic hyper- Beck, Chris Chyung and Rita Fleming all won seats in bole, Trump declared on Elec- suburban General Assembly districts, and there were a tion Night that he had achieved “very close to a complete couple of close calls, with Rep. Dale Devon barely hang- victory,” even though he lost the U.S. House by what could ing on. Democrat Poonam Gill held Speaker Brian Bosma be a 36-seat turnover when the final ballots in nine seats to 55% in his growing suburban district, losing by just (with Democrats leading in most according to CNN) are under 4,000 votes. HPI columnist Morton Marcus notes tallied or recounted. Given the array of 2011 reapportioned that Republicans who control “78% of our congressional maps that gave Republicans in some 30 states (including delegation will hold office with 55.3% of the vote.” Indiana) a significant strategic ad- In states with growing Latino populations vantage, that’s far from “complete.” – Florida, Texas, Georgia – Republicans Democrats gained back a third of largely prevailed this cycle (gubernato- the 1,000 state legislative seats lost rial races in Florida and Georgia are still during President Obama’s two terms. undetermined at this writing), but in Ari- They regained control of eight state zona, Kyrsten Sinema won a Senate seat, legislatures and flipped seven gover- something a Democrat hasn’t done since norships (including Illinois, Michigan, the mid-1980s. And was supposed Wisconsin and Kansas). to be the GOP’s immigrant showcase; it’s Trump tweeted on Nov. 7, home to Sheriff Joe Arpaio and on the “Those that worked with me in this front lines if that “caravan” ever shows up, incredible Midterm Election, embrac- to be greeted by 15,000 U.S. troops. Sen. ing certain policies and principles, Sinema, meet Sen. Jones of . did very well. Those that did not, say Trump will also have trouble carry- goodbye! Yesterday was such a very ing the “Blue Wall” states that faltered in Big Win, and all under the pressure 2016, with Democrats taking governor- of a Nasty and Hostile Media!” He ships in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsyl- singled out defeated Republicans such as Rep. Mia Love of vania. , who didn’t embrace his mantle. Now, could Democrats blow it? Of course! This is Trump held 44 MAGA rallies, including four in literally the party that puts the “fun” in dysfunction and Indiana, and endorsed 91 Republican candidates, includ- they seem hell-bent on a Trump investigation frenzy that ing Indiana Senator-elect Mike Braun. But Trump’s overall could prove to be as big an overplay as the one Repub- scorecard is mixed, with 51 wins, 37 losses, and three licans blundered into when they impeached President races still to be determined. Clinton in 1998. That was the election when Democrats Thus, beyond Indiana, there are problems on the retook the U.S. and Indiana Houses. horizon for President Trump’s Grand Old Party. Remember But it’s the demographics that will pose the big- RNC Chairman Reince Priebus’s 2013 autopsy report? It gest problem for Republicans if they continue to embrace made the case that Republicans had to reach out beyond that white man strategy. So, what will be their destiny? v Page 15

recommend presidential action. That young, up-and- Tom Huston’s battle coming dynamo was a Hoosier, Charles “Tom” Huston of Logansport. That such an important task as coordinating the on domestic enemies White House response to a vital national security problem By CRAIG DUNN should be entrusted to the 29-year-old Huston was testa- KOKOMO – ANTIFA plots insurrection! Police of- ment to the young Hoosier’s meteoric rise as a leading light ficers gunned down! Unrest in the streets! Bombs mailed in the American conservative movement. Tom Huston was to politicians! no ordinary, newly minted attorney. He had traveled heady Reading recent headlines, a person might be roads that few dare explore. inclined to think that we are living Born in 1941, the son of a Logansport insur- in the most dangerous domestic ance agent, Huston morphed from a fan of Democrat Adlai environment in our country’s his- Stevenson to a “Jeffersonian Republican,” a firm believer in tory. Former Nixon speechwriter personal responsibility and small government. Huston took and Presidential candidate Pat his conservative philosophy with him when he matriculated Buchanan recently said as much. at with a bachelor’s degree (1963) and Today’s volatile domes- law degree (1966). Huston graduated with high honors in tic turmoil acknowledged, there both. once was a much more threatening time to our republic. That time was the extremely danger- ous years of 1969-1970. Nearly 4,000 domestic bombings, 28 police officers shot by snipers and numerous groups, such as the Weather Underground, actively working to destroy our nation and daily riots in the streets shook our nation to its core. Among the buildings bombed in New York City were the Marine Midland Building, Chase Manhattan Bank, Standard Oil, General Motors, the Criminal Courts Building, an Armed Forces Induction Center, the United Fruit Com- pany and the Federal Office Building at Federal Plaza. President Richard Nixon was alarmed by the potential existential threat and A young Tom Huston with conservative icon and 1964 Republican presidential called upon one of his youngest and bright- nominee Barry Goldwater. Top photo, Huston in an Oval Office meeting with est minds to get a handle on the problem and President Nixon and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. Page 16

During law school, Huston found time to become nedy’s communications with Gen. Thieu of Vietnam prior to the national chairman of the leading conservative youth the assassination of President Diem. movement in the country, Young Americans for Freedom, As his time at White House proceeded, Huston’s in 1965. In 1966, at a time when most college students methodical and intelligent approach to every assignment were spending their time smoking marijuana, practicing increasingly ingratiated himself to Nixon. “Have Huston free love and protesting the Viet- look into this” was a favorite marching nam War, Tom Huston organized order from the president to Chief of the World Youth Crusade for Free- Staff Bob Haldeman. Nixon’s increas- dom which tried to battle commu- ing confidence in Huston and the do- nism across the globe, particularly mestic turmoil of 1969 and 1970 led to in Vietnam. the young Hoosier’s most challenging It was also in 1966 that assignment in service of his president the laser-focused Huston took and country. his first political plunge. After the In the spring of 1970, whitewashing of Barry Goldwater after a Weather Underground bomb- in the 1964 presidential election, making factory accidentally exploded the Republican Party was cast- in Greenwich Village, President Nixon ing about looking for a credible believed that the threat to our national candidate for 1968. California security was significant enough that a Gov. was gaining thorough review of the problem and huge momentum for a potential potential solutions must be undertak- run, but Huston felt that Reagan’s en. Huston was given the task of ana- lack of experience in international lyzing the magnitude of the internal politics put him at a disadvantage security problem, determining what to former Vice President Richard organizational difficulties between the Nixon. In a controversial and very four principal security agencies might public move, Huston announced be, finding what legal roadblocks to his support for Nixon. This early dealing with domestic political violence support for Nixon brought Huston existed and, finally, coming up with to Nixon’s closest aides. a recommendation for the president Nixon repaid Huston’s Huston walks the White House grounds with on what needed to be done. Huston gesture after his 1968 victory by in- President Nixon. would not be doing his work alone; the viting Huston to join Pat Buchanan president called out all of the big guns. and William Safire as a White House speechwriter. Huston Joining Huston on the Interagency Committee on Intel- was just winding down a two-year ROTC commitment with ligence were FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, CIA Director Army intelligence and, although he had been offered a Richard Helms, Lt. General Donald Bennett of the Defense job as an associate attorney with Barnes & Thornburg in Intelligence Agency and Admiral Noel Gaylor of the National Indianapolis, he asked his future employer for the oppor- Security Agency. tunity to spend two years serving the president. President Nixon brought all of the principals, During his time on President Nixon’s staff, Huston including Huston and Haldeman, into the Oval Office and speedily morphed from speechwriter to presidential advi- gave them their marching orders. There was to be no mis- sor and special projects guru. Huston was immediately calculation. Richard Nixon was serious about the internal tasked with determining what type of special retirement security risk to our nation. perks Lyndon Johnson had bestowed upon himself prior to Prior to the first working meeting of the Inter- leaving office. agency Committee, Tom Huston was summoned to J. Edgar An early, politically sensitive task was an as- Hoover’s office for a formal introduction and sit-down. In signment by Nixon to determine to what extent President a recent interview with Huston, he told me that he was Johnson had used the Paris Peace talks and bombing halt ushered into Hoover’s office and brought before the direc- to try and influence the 1968 election and, as a separate tor. Hoover’s desk had been elevated in such a way that issue, the intrigues of Republican political doyenne Anna he could look down on and lecture visitors like Zeus from Chenault to derail the Paris Peace talks, a potential viola- a mountaintop. Huston received the obligatory history of tion of U.S. law and, possibly, even treason. Nixon knew the FBI, the heady days of Prohibition gangsters and bank the truth in both of these hot potato issues, but he wanted robbers and the hunting down and killing of John Dillinger. to know what an investigator might be able to uncover The encounter was meant to intimidate, but as subsequent and potentially use against him in the future. events demonstrated, Huston was unfazed by Hoover’s Additionally, Huston was asked by the president to histrionics. thoroughly investigate “that Bay of Pigs thing” and Ken- In the first meeting of the Interagency Committee, Page 17 Hoover took the lead in trying to define the work of the and NSA for their approvals before the document went to group. More interested in protecting his agency, he inten- J. Edgar Hoover. Even though Hoover’s FBI was up to its tionally mischaracterized Nixon’s marching orders delivered eyelids with past bugging and black bag operations, the in the Oval Office. Hoover was more intent on creating director thought he could give himself some cover by foot- a dissertation regarding the creation of the various intel- noting each of the committee’s options as to whether or ligence services and their work up to this time. Huston not the FBI approved of each provision. could not tolerate Hoover’s intentional distortion of the When the other three directors learned of president’s order and with the impetuosity known only to Hoover’s tactic, they were enraged. They knew what he young and intelligent hard-chargers, he blurted out, “The was up to and strenuously objected. However, they knew president is not interested in a history lesson. He’s inter- that they would never get Hoover to sign off on any other ested in understanding the problem that exists today and document, so they acquiesced and submitted the foot- our best understanding of what the problem is likely to be noted report. into the future.” Huston submitted the report to President Nixon With those few words Huston immediately for his approval and executive action through Chief of made an enemy out of one of the most powerful people in Staff Haldeman. While Nixon approved and endorsed the the federal government. The other directors used Huston’s itemized options as presented, he and Haldeman decided impertinence to allow them to that it would be in the best interest chime in and state their agreement to have the report go out over Hus- with the young Hoosier’s assess- ton’s signature. Huston complied and ment of Nixon’s wishes. Hoover issued the report over his signature later snapped to FBI Intelligence and the document was destined for guru William Sullivan that Huston history and infamy as the “Huston was just a “hippie intellectual.” Plan.” The Interagency Commit- The Huston Plan was a 43-page tee met four times between May report and outline of security op- and the end of June, 1970. William tions. Among other things, the plan Sullivan drafted the committee’s called for domestic burglary, illegal report and Tom Huston edited the electronic surveillance and opening document. The major problem the mail of domestic radicals. The confronting the committee was document also called for the cre- that their solution for dealing with ation of camps in the Western states the domestic terrorism issue was where anti-war protesters would be already being done on an extra- detained. legal basis. Each agency had been The ink had barely dried on repeatedly violating United States laws in regard to domes- the Huston Plan when J. Edgar Hoover set about dis- tic surveillance, wiretaps, break-ins and disinformation for mantling it. Hoover may have been a lot of objectionable nearly two decades. Each agency was well aware of what things, but he was a supreme politician and a master at the others were doing but none was willing to confess to the Washington power game. He took the plan directly to the legal violations. his ostensible boss, Attorney General John Mitchell, who Instead, they requested in the report that the nearly had a cow about its content. Mitchell knew the president issue executive orders validating the work that legal and constitutional issues raised by the document and they were already doing. Whether Nixon knew this ruse or hurriedly set off to the Oval Office to kill it. On July 26, not, Huston definitely did not. 12 days after the Huston Plan had been approved by the While the final report broke very little new president, he reconsidered his decision and killed the plan. ground in the work of battling domestic terrorism, Huston The Huston Plan documents were retrieved from each of did put his own stamp on it with one of his recommenda- the four principal agencies and locked away in a White tions. The FBI had been using college students to monitor House safe, never to see the light of day. Or so it seemed. and report on campus radicals by infiltrating their groups. Tom Huston had grown disillusioned with the Limited by law to only recruiting informants that were at Nixon White House. Like many a bright-eyed and idealistic least 21 years old, Huston knew that to build a longer- person before him, he slowly came to see the Nixon Ad- term source, you needed to introduce informants as young ministration as seriously flawed. Entering his position with as 18 into the mix. That recommendation made it into the a passion for his conservative beliefs, he was saddened as final report. Nixon came under the sway of Eastern liberal Democrat, The final report, or as it has historically come to be Daniel Patrick Moynihan. While Huston wanted to see referred to as the “Huston Plan,” was circulated among the conservative principles applied to government welfare, four directors for their signatures. At William Sullivan’s rec- Moynihan influenced Nixon to see the political expediency ommendation, the plan was first submitted to the CIA, DIA of continuing the practices of the Johnson Administration. Page 18

Internationally, in our nation and that terrorists confrontation of communism were gunning down police of- around the world gave way ficers. Huston viewed his work to the détente advocated as patriotic, reasonable and by Henry Kissinger’s crew in necessary for the safety of our the White House. In short, country. Church’s line of attack the promising conservatism fizzled at Huston’s emphatic that led Huston to support response. candidate Nixon in 1966 Looking back, Tom gave way to the reality Huston realizes that his sig- that political hacks such as nature on the document gave Charles Colson were calling Nixon and Haldeman plausible the shots. By the spring of deniability should the plan blow 1971, Huston had had his fill up. He told the New York Times of political expediency and in 1973 that, “The real threat to intrigue and happily moved internal security - in any society to Indianapolis to begin a - is repression, but repression is successful career as a real the inevitable result of disor- estate attorney. der. Forced to choose between Unless fate had order and freedom, people will intervened, the American take order. A handful of people people would never have cannot frontally overthrow the learned about the Huston government, but if they can Plan and the perceived engender enough fear, they can dangers to our constitutional generate an atmosphere that rights. It was only because will bring out of the woodwork of Watergate that we came A note from legendary conservative pundit William F. Buckley, every repressive demagogue in to learn of the Huston Plan. who might not recognize conservatism in the age of Donald the country.” While unrelated to the Trump. Huston acknowledged in Watergate burglary and its resulting cover up, the keys a taped interview for the Nixon Library, conducted in 2008, to the White House safe had passed from Tom Huston to that he should have known better at the time of the cre- John Dean upon Huston’s departure for Indianapolis. As ation of the Huston Plan. However, Huston, at his young part of Dean’s desperate attempt to save his neck during and relatively inexperienced age could not conceive that the Watergate prosecution, he literally emptied the White Richard Helms, James Angleton and the rest of the intel- House safe and passed the top secret, classified Huston ligence establishment would compromise the integrity of Plan to the Washington, D.C., Federal Court. The Senate their agencies for a partisan political purpose. Watergate Committee subpoenaed the document and what Huston returned to Indiana and forged a suc- had served as an unimplemented intelligence plan burned cessful career as a real estate attorney and as principal of like a wildfire in the halls of Congress, the courts and the Brenwick Development. He worked religiously on historical national media. In short, the Huston Plan became gener- preservation projects, served on committees of the Indiana ally acknowledged in many circles as the most danger- Historical Society, served as a long-time member the board ous document in the history of our republic, a status that of the President Benjamin Harrison home and along the Huston still finds to be absurd and ridiculous. way built one of the largest and most impressive collec- In 1975, Tom Huston was called back to Wash- tions of presidential campaign memorabilia in the United ington to testify before the Church Committee, the Senate States. committee organized to examine intelligence abuses of the Not bad work for a kid from Logansport. He now various governmental agencies. Although repeatedly chal- passes his time winding down Brenwick Development and lenged by Sens. Frank Church, Walter Mondale and Gary spending time with his wife, Brenda, and their grandchil- Hart, along with Chief Council F.A.O. Schwartz, Jr., Huston dren. adroitly defended the plan associated with his name as In life, some citizens ignore history, some citizens a product created because of the extremely dangerous study history and a very few citizens make history. Hoosier domestic environment in the United States. He also deftly Tom Huston at a very young age sat in the lap of history.v pointed out that most of the recommended options were legal at the time of the creation of the plan and had only Dunn is the former 4th CD and Howard County Re- been subsequently found by the courts to be illegal. In publican chairman. one particularly testy exchange with Sen. Church, Huston reminded the senator that 4,000 bombs had been set off Page 18 Marc Chase, NWI Times: Dysfunction breeds board attorney Ethan Lowe explained at the meeting. That chaos in human relationships. Vitriol, anger and shout- legal advice didn’t stop Democratic election board mem- ing are the precursor to collapse. So it should surprise no ber J.J. Stankiewicz from making a motion to try to count one that the Porter County 2018 general election fell like the ballots, state law be damned. A nonsensical argument a house of cards doused in gasoline and set ablaze just over the matter occupied most of the Oct. 31 board meet- before being shoved into ruin. Ask just about any Porter ing, with Stankiewicz’s motion failing to be seconded by County official, and they’ll describe the dysfunction that another board member, and there- fore rightly failing. The has been brewing for some time among the dysfunctional grand finale of the meeting actu- Porter County clerk, the elections board and ally came after it had officially adjourned. Kathy the “leaders” of the voter registration office. Kozuszek, Democratic director of the Porter County If you won’t take their word for it, view the voter registration office, engaged in an unseemly video of the Oct. 31 election board meeting. shouting match with Porter County Clerk Karen The angry, childish and misinformed antics on Martin, who sits on the election board. Several oth- display in that meeting seem to foretell the ers in attendance joined in in a noisy bout of vitriol. impending doom that came to pass for the most sacred of Remarkably enough, the venomous exchanges all seemed democratic processes on Election Day. to center on whether enough volunteers had been identi- Between the vitriol that built toward the elec- fied to properly open and run polling locations at the Nov. tion, and the climax of an Election Day collapse, Porter 6 election. As it would turn out, the answer to that ques- County voters should be clamoring for their leaders to tion was no. But the childish shouting match seemed to rebuild the process. By now, consumers of Region news stand in the way of any solution to the problem. v are quite familiar with the fiasco of the Nov. 6 Election Day in Porter County. A dozen polling locations opened Jonathon Swan, Axios: President Trump has hours late, prompting a judge to order the locations long been casting about for a replacement and has, on to stay open hours beyond the normal closing time. A several occasions, made what in any normal world would number of voters were disenfranchised in the process, be taken as an official job offer to Mike Pence’s chief of but the disaster was only just getting started. Scores of staff, Nick Ayers, 36. But when Trump offers you a job, absentee ballots cast early by voters weren’t processed on it’s not always as it seems. He has discussed the job with election night at the precinct locations, ultimately delay- Ayers sporadically for months. Sources close to Pence’s ing any reported elec- tion results until an embarrassing chief tell me that in recent weeks, Ayers has privately three days after the polls closed. It turns out a big reason expressed a “Who knows?” attitude: It could happen for that delay was the state of chaos in which the early tomorrow, or in several months, or maybe never. The case ballots were kept leading up to the election. As top county for Ayers, according to his boosters: He has sharp political officials begin to unravel the messy mechanics that led to instincts and business acumen — and that’s what some the election collapse, they’re noting early ballots weren’t believe Trump needs in his chief job heading into the 2020 sorted properly as vot- ers cast them in the weeks leading presidential election. Ayers’ supporters say Pence’s office up to actual Election Day. Rather than immediately being is one of the few well-functioning and low-drama parts of sorted by precinct, the ballots became a jumbled mess the building. Jared and Ivanka are major supporters — that no one began to rectify until it was too late. The and maybe that’s all Ayers needs to overcome his internal chaos of polling places that didn’t open on time, lacked enemies. But the opposition to Ayers is substantial inside the requisite volunteers for operation or early ballots left the administration. His internal opponents attack him as in disorganized shambles should surprise no one. too slick by half and ruthlessly ambitious. v It has become clear from speaking with numerous county officials and watching video of a recent election Lafayette Journal & Courier: board meeting that chaos and division define the relation- Dave Bangert, The mini-blue wave that rippled in Tippecanoe County ships between the people who are supposed to be run- – two Democrats on a county council that had been as- ning the show. On Halloween, a mere six days before the sumed GOP territory since Lillian Cote left after 1994, Election Day debacle, the Porter County Election Board sweeps of trustee and board positions in Fairfield and meeting, which was supposed to be sorting out a snafu Wabash townships, the flip of House District 26 after that threatened to negate some 118 to 122 early bal- a decade – have their roots in a couple of events. The lots cast in Portage, turned into a complete meltdown of first was on the Tippecanoe County Courthouse steps unintelligible shouting among voter registration and other in January, on a surprisingly warm Saturday after Presi- officials in the visitors gallery. The 118 to 122 voters all dent Donald Trump’s inauguration and on the day of the were being asked to return to a polling location to recast Women’s March, when the crowd grew until police closed their votes because those ballots lacked the bipartisan Columbia Street. The second was in February 2017 at initials from the Democratic and Republican supervisors the West Lafayette Public Library, the night of the “Town at the early voting location in Portage. Under state law, Forum With or Without Rep. Todd Rokita.” v ballots lacking the bipartisan initials don’t count, election Page 20

ing sports betting as a revenue source Porter County was rife with prob- Ayres could replace while 50 percent oppose the idea. But lems, including delayed election Kelly as Trump COS when it comes to marijuana, 39 per- results that came in three days cent said they support legalizing it for late, 12 precincts that stayed open WASHINGTON – President recreational use and 42 percent said later than planned because they Donald Trump is considering yet another they support legalizing it for medicinal did not open on time, and absen- shakeup of his administration, use. Only 16 percent said tee ballots not being distributed preparing to remove Depart- pot should not be legalized. to precincts to be counted by the ment of Homeland Security The Indiana General Assem- time the polls closed (Lavelly, Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and bly is expected to debate Post-Tribune). After hearing first- looking at possible replace- both issues in the upcoming hand stories from poll workers ments for Chief of Staff John session, and sports betting about the chaos that ensued on Kelly, including Vice President seems to have some sup- Election Day in Porter County for Mike Pence’s Chief of Staff Nick Ayers, port from lawmakers already. the midterm elections, the Board according to multiple sources familiar of Commissioners on Tuesday with the matter (ABC News). Nielsen, Holcomb approval asked the county attorney to who became secretary at Homeland request an Indiana Secretary of Security when John Kelly left DHS to be- at 52% in BSU Poll State’s Office investigation and for come Trump’s chief of staff, is expected MUNCIE – A majority of Hoo- the state agency to ask for an in- to leave her role in the coming weeks siers approve of Gov. Eric Holcomb’s quiry by the Indiana State Police. and could be asked to resign, accord- job performance in Ball State’s annual ing to sources. However, Kelly is fight- Hoosier Survey (Smith, Indiana Public State revenue ing to delay her departure, the sources Media). Of those surveyed, 52 per- said. The timeline for a shakeup remains ahead of forecast cent say Holcomb is doing a good unclear and the White House has not re- job, compared to just 13 percent who INDIANAPOLIS – State sponded to a request for comment. “The disapprove. But about a third say revenue is running ahead of Secretary is honored to lead the men they don’t know him or don’t have expectations one-third of the way and women of DHS and is committed to an opinion about him. Ball State’s through Indiana’s budget year implementing the President’s security- Bowen Center for Public Affairs Direc- (Carden, NWI Times).Between focused agenda to protect Americans tor Charles Taylor says that num- July and October, Indiana col- from all threats and will continue to do ber makes sense, given Holcomb’s lected $5 billion in sales, income so,” DHS spokesperson Tyler Houlton said approach. “Governor Holcomb has and other taxes from Hoosiers, ac- in a statement Tuesday. The Washington a more low-key style than Governor cording to data recently released Post first reported the news of Nielsen’s Daniels did,” Taylor says. “He’s not by the State Budget Agency. That potential departure. The White House had the sort of divisive social issue was $92.1 million, or 1.9 percent, did not immediately respond to ABC controversy that Mike Pence had as more than anticipated by the News’ request for comment about the governor.” Taylor also says Holcomb state’s revenue forecast. State potential changes. Meanwhile, Kelly’s job could help himself by taking more of records show higher than expect- is also uncertain and his fate has been a lead on some policy issues. Other- ed sales, corporate income and in question for some time. Sources tell wise, Taylor says, Holcomb risks play- gaming tax receipts largely were ABC News that within the last few weeks, ing into the hands of a future political responsible. the president has once again discussed opponent. “It leaves an opening when Kelly’s fate with many of his top advisers; there’s a significant number of people Kelly has continued to grow distant with Hill vice chair of that haven’t made up their mind, then the president, sources said. somebody may come along and help A.G. group Hoosiers back pot them make up their mind,” Taylor INDIANAPOLIS - Attor- says. ney General Curtis Hill will serve more than betting as vice chair of the Republican More calls for Attorneys General Association MUNCIE – Hoosiers are more (Haggerty, Indiana Public Media). supportive of legalizing marijuana than Porter probe Members elected Hill to the posi- they are of legalizing sports betting, tion over the weekend. According according to results of a new survey (Er- VALPARAISO – Porter County to a release from Hill’s press team, dody, IBJ). Ball State University’s annual Commissioners and the Valparaiso the association aims to get more Hoosier Survey, released Tuesday, found Democratic Committee are calling on Republicans into the position of only 37 percent of Hoosiers favor legaliz- the state to investigate the bungled election last week. Election Day in Attorney General nationwide.