V17, N35 Thursday, May 17, 2012 Susan Brooks: 20 pts down to victory 5th CD victory over McIntosh came in final two weeks By BRIAN A. HOWEY - Susan Brooks’ 5th CD campaign con- ducted internal polling in mid- April and the news was disheart- ening. She trailed the frontrunner - former congressman David McIntosh - by 20 points. Twenty points? “We conducted two polls,” Brooks said, “one in February and one in mid-April. Both showed David McIntosh with significant leads. But in the February poll – the informed bal- lot – I won.” Half of her April poll occurred hours after New Jersey 5th CD Republican nominee Susan Brooks showing off her phone bank, operated here by Jenna Gov. came to Fish- Knepper. (HPI Photo by Brian A. Howey) ers for a campaign stop that was covered by local TV that evening. thing Howey/DePauw Battleground Poll picked up And she won with the poll that counted most, on in a very limited sample in the 5th CD. It was too small to May 8 Election Day, defeating McIntosh by about 800 votes be scientifically significant and was not part of the pub- while carrying Marion, Hamilton and Boone counties. The April poll showed a huge set of undecideds. It was some- Continued on page 3 Indiana Roy’s big fall By RICH JAMES MERRILLVILLE - There are winners and losers in every election. But in Northwest Indiana there often is a whole lot more. Such was the case last week. Then, again, what do you expect ‘‘In the next few days, I’ll be choosing when area Democrats go to the polls. my running mate. Experience in the There was a political death, al- private sector and an understanding of though the corpse hasn’t been buried. Nevertheless, rest assured that state government are critical to bring- former Lake County sheriff Roy ing jobs to Hoosiers.” Dominguez’s political career is over. His fall from grace was fast. The im- - , on choosing his running mate pact was thunderous. ‘in the next few days’ Dominguez a few short years ago HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 2 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, May 17, 2012

was on top of the Lake County politi- primary vote. Ironically, Fajman spent cal world. He was viewed as the nice years as elections chief in the county guy who could get things done. Voter Registration office, but failed So high was his stock that he spent a when it came to her first run for office. year traveling the state to build sup- The county recorder’s posi- www.HoweyPolitics.com port for a 2012 run for governor. tion opened a year or so ago when While wandering Indiana, he the other Mike Brown left that office apparently found out what the voters to become county clerk. Fajman, who Howey Politics told him last week – his days as an is a county Democratic official, fairly Indiana elected official are over. easily won a county precinct caucus to is a non-partisan newsletter Just after leav- become the recorder. based in Indianapolis. It was ing the sheriff’s post in The county recorder’s founded in 1994 in Fort Wayne. January 2011, Domin- race had similarities to guez launched a bid the county assessor’s for 2nd District county contest of 2010. In that Brian A. Howey, Publisher commissioner against Democratic primary, Carol Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington four-term incumbent Ann Seaton, a politi- Jack E. Howey, editor Gerry Scheub. cal unknown from Gary, Beverly K. Phillips, associate Scheub, at defeated Randall Guern- 76, is the oldest public sey, a township assessor, editor official in Lake County. in the primary. When Interesting, he is four years younger Seaton’s sordid past came Subscriptions than Sen. , who was to light, Republican Hank Adams was $350 annually HPI Weekly ousted, in part, because of his age. elected county assessor. He was the This is one of those rare elections first Republican to win a countywide $550 annually HPI Weekly and where you can say that yard signs office in Lake County since the 1940s. HPI Daily Wire. vote. Scheub, whose name dotted There is a lesson to be 'Call 317.627.6746 lawns across the district, pulled 6,013 learned from the defeat of Fajman and votes, more than double the 2,715 Guernsey. First of all, voters don’t take received by Dominguez. the time to find out who is running Contact HPI Politicians often can survive a for county recorder or assessor. And, Howey Politics Indiana narrow loss, but an embarrassment is frankly, they don’t really care. 6255 Evanston Ave. fatal. A county recorder is a keeper Indianapolis, IN 46220 That wasn’t the only race in of deeds, not a policy maker. An www.howeypolitics.com Lake County that had politicos talking assessor evaluates property using after the results were tabulated. state-mandated guidelines. Indiana [email protected] County Recorder Michelle doesn’t need to be electing recorders 'Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 Fajman lost to political unknown Mike or assessors. When you think about it, 'Washington: 703.248.0909 Brown by just under 700 votes. The we also shouldn’t be electing survey- 'Business Office: 317.627.6746 Lake County clerk is Mike Brown, who ors, treasurers, coroners or auditors. is a very popular guy. But no one That thinking is in line with knew the Mike Brown who defeated the Kernan/Shepard recommendations © 2012, Howey Politics Indiana. Fajman, although I’m sure many on how to improve local government. All rights reserved. Photocopy- people voted for the Mike Brown they Here are a couple of examples ing, Internet forwarding, fax- thought they knew instead of the one as to why Kernan and Shepard – and ing or reproducing in any form, running for recorder. Brown, the clerk, Gov. Mitch Daniels – are right. whole or part, is a violation of by the way, is black. The one who is Perhaps the Legislature should headed to become county recorder is take notice. v federal law without permission white. from the publisher. v Brown didn’t campaign much, Rich James is the former editorial didn’t seek endorsements and spent page editor and columnist for the little more than chump change. Yet Post-Tribune in Merrillville. he won with just 29 percent of the HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 3 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, May 17, 2012

took off. That became the “walk away” interview. Brooks, from page 1 The residency issue had virtually no impact in 2010 when Sen. had moved back to the state, but it lished polling information in the May 4 edition of HPI. But it was devastating to Sen. Dick Lugar and McIntosh. What confirmed what Brooks’ internal polling showed: there was changed? Possibly it was the 10% congressional approval a significant pool of undecided voters. rating Howey/DePauw found in its March 26-27 survey. It On Election Day, many Republicans crossed polling fit into a carpetbagger “out of touch” narrative their oppo- place parking lots undecided and Brooks picked up most of nents used to devastating effect. Both McIntosh and Lugar them. saw leads dissipate in the final What hap- weeks of the campaign. pened in the final two Brooks also launched with- to three weeks? ering direct mail at McIntosh. Brooks be- Brooks said the campaign dis- lieves her “town hall” covered that most voters didn’t strategy paid off. She know McIntosh lived in Arling- conducted 80 of meet ton, Va., voted in Indiana, and and greets across the was a Washington lobbyist. They district, with anywhere also conjured up an element from 10 to 40 people from the 2000 O’Bannon-Kernan at each one. “It was playbook, attacking McIntosh’s our version of door- attendance level while he was to-door,” she said. a congressman. Brooks mailers That exposure had assailed McIntosh for lobby- a cumulative effect. ing for a “client that received The campaign made billions of dollars from the Wall 68,000 calls from its Street bailout.” The flyer read, phone bank. But it “DC insider David McIntosh sold wouldn’t have been his values to the highest bidder.” enough without the It forced McIntosh to go residency issue. on the offensive with rebukes to Was that the Brooks and third-place finisher silver bullet? John McGoff. Devin Anderson, “It cer- campaign chairman for McIn- tainly was,” Brooks tosh, told HPI, “We’ve been said. “The Anderson disappointed that John and Herald-Bulletin did a Susan have chosen to not focus pretty direct and pow- on fixing Washington but rather erful editorial about on politics of personal destruc- David and (Madison tion. Both know their views are County) Prosecutor not conservative and in step Rodney Cummings. with a majority of this district. We showed that to A Brooks campaign mailer (top) that exploited the residency issue They feel their only choice is our supporters.” Cum- of David McIntosh. Below, Brooks with a board detailing each of the to personally attack the true mings had brushed off 80 meet and greets she conducted across the district. (HPI Photo by conservative.” the residency attacks Brian A. Howey) Then there was Indianapo- as “political.” lis Star columnist Matt Tully’s Then came the Kokomo Perspective news reports excoriating tome on April 28. “Seeking to score a cheap and editorials on May 1 where Howard County Republican political point as he seeks the 5th District nomination, Chairman Craig Dunn called on Secretary of State Connie McIntosh took callous aim at the Women’s Fund of Cen- Lawson to make a ruling on McIntosh’s residency. Dunn’s tral Indiana, an inspiring nonprofit group that has tackled concern was that the party would end up with a poten- issues such as domestic violence, job training and child tially tainted nominee (i.e. Charlie White). Then came Jim care for low-income mothers,” Tully wrote. “With only his Shella’s WISH-TV interview with McIntosh following a Right political fortunes in mind, McIntosh sought to tarnish an to Life press conference at the Statehouse when McIntosh HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 4 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, May 17, 2012

organization that has worked hard in recent years to help worked on Indiana’s nagging unemployment rate. many of the region’s most vulnerable residents rise from “I did talk about how ineffective Congress is,” she their circumstances. Now that’s what you call ambition -- of said. “I talked about how polarized and partisan it has the worst kind.” become. I talked about that at 80 town meetings and that’s Brooks campaigned on Election Day, making her not what people want. I’m into governing. I think most of final appearance 10 minutes before polls closed. She had Congress has gotten away from governing.” a good feeling that the race had tightened. Not until five She said she will reach out to various Republican late precincts came in from Hamilton County did Brooks groups in Washington, as well as Democrats. “I heard know she had won the nomination and, with the new 5th people voice concerns about the Republican Party and its CD overwhelmingly Republican, very likely the congres- inability to get things done.” sional seat. She faces Democratic State Rep. Scott Reske in John Hammond III, Republican chairman in the November and enters the race as a big favorite. neighboring 7th CD, believes Brooks will be an immediate What kind of congresswoman will Brooks be? rising star when she gets to Washington. Not only has she She says her coming constituency wants her broken the gender barrier, she brings a vast resume of mu- to go to Washington and solve problems. She cited her nicipal government, education, law enforcement and coun- background that includes six years as U.S. attorney when ter terrorism. On May 8, Hoosiers watched a star launch. v she worked with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies on domestic terrorism, and IVY Tech, where she

conservatives was in large part fueled by anger over Mourdock sets off a Lugar’s willingness to work with Democrats. The prover- bial last straw for the Indiana came with Lugar’s vote for the nomination of Elena Kagan to national debate on the Supreme Court in the summer of 2010. The days of both political parties genuinely working toward preserving partisanship & purity America in the visions of our Founders has long passed.” Fettig continued, “Democrats and Republicans had By BRIAN A. HOWEY at one time worked toward this end, albeit in slightly dif- NASHVILLE, Ind. - Indiana Republican senato- ferent approaches. Today’s political environment finds the rial nominee Richard Mourdock’s assault on “bipartisanship” played well to 61% of the 19% of Hoosier voters who showed up at the polls on May 8. That’s a mighty slim sliver of voters. In essence, about 12% of voting Hoosiers made the decision on the U.S. Sen- ate nomination. And despite Gov. Mitch Daniels’ assertion that Mourdock is from the “mainstream” of the Indiana GOP, the notion of polarization and purity has become part of the national two national parties embracing diametrically opposed and debate this past week and it is taking arrows from all sides. irreconcilable philosophies. The differences are so great Greg Fettig, co-founder of Hoosiers for a Conserva- that compromise by either side means a surrendering of tive Senate, wrote a May 11 op-ed piece for USA Today, principle. The heart and soul of the nation and the GOP are in which he said, “Tuesday’s defeat of six-term Republican at stake. Before conservatives can re-establish the consti- Sen. Richard Lugar in Indiana’s primary by constitutional tutional birthright of the nation, they must first purge the HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 5 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, May 17, 2012

party of non-conservatives. Polarization is intentionally per- can majority.” petrated by Reid and others. The Democrat Party is steer- The notion of the kind of sustained “purity” move- ing the country toward socialism, while true conservatives ment it would take to command the U.S. Senate as well embrace limited government and free market capitalism. as the House of Representatives is a pipe dream. For the Until one side achieves absolute victory, or the Democrats past decade, the electorate has swung like an unlatched genuinely reach across the aisle, there cannot be compro- screen door in a severe thunderstorm. President Bush was mise.” reelected in 2004, the Democrats retook the House in 2006 At his May 9 “unity” press conference with and President Obama won in 2008, followed by the GOP Gov. Daniels and other statewide GOP officials, Mourdock retaking the House in 2010. In a polarized environment, explained, “My idea of bipartisanship going forward is to the electorate only sees festering problems, the approval make sure that we have such a Republican majority in of Congress plummets or wallows in the ditch, and voters the U.S. House and U.S. Senate and in the White House, swing back and forth between the two parties (unless, at that if there’s going to be bipartisanship, it’s going to be some point, this frustration leads to the emergence of a Democrats coming credible third party). our way, instead of House Budget them trying to pull Committee Chairman Republicans their Paul Ryan, the Wisconsin way.” Republican, was asked by It was a moderator Judy Woodruff defiant comment about Mourdock’s stance given that Sen. on purity and partisan- Dick Lugar’s state- ship. “I just don’t agree ment following his with that,” said Ryan. landslide loss the Mourdock is also night before took taking arrows from Demo- issue with Mour- crats. dock’s approach. Former President To be an effective Bill Clinton observed, senator, Lugar “The Republican position advised, “will re- Greg Fettig and Monica Boyer at a Tea Party meeting. that tends to prevail in quire him to revise these primaries as ex- his stated goal of pressed by the gentleman bringing more partisanship to Washington. He and I share who beat Sen. Lugar, who says, ‘I’m just against compro- many positions, but his embrace of an unrelenting partisan mise, we need to stop it, it’s weak, it’s foolish, our views mindset is irreconcilable with my philosophy of governance are irreconcilable, we have to force the American people and my experience of what brings results for Hoosiers in to choose which one of us is right’ – if that prevails, we’re the Senate. This is not conducive to problem-solving and toast. We’ll look like a bush league country.” governance. And he will find that unless he modifies his Clinton added, quoting Mourdock, “He said, ‘I am approach, he will achieve little as a legislator. Worse, he will totally against any compromise, our world views are irrec- help delay solutions that are totally beyond the capacity of oncilable’… If that were the view, there never would have partisan majorities to achieve.” been a Constitution.” While Fettig and Mourdock cite “polariza- Former Sen. Evan Bayh, writing in a Chicago tion,” what will likely occur is a polarized Republican Party Tribune op-ed on Tuesday, agreed, suggesting that Mour- in Indiana, let alone how that message won’t play with dock’s contribution to partisanship would come when it’s independents and most Democrats. Lugarites will not be least needed. “This intransigent approach is a great one for able to reconcile Mourdock’s approach because it is com- primary electorates that demand more combativeness and plete anathema to how he conducted himself and projected ideological purity from candidates than ever before,” Bayh power in Congress. said. “And if we had a parliamentary form of government When Politico approached Lugar on Capitol Hill with no checks and balances where the majority always on Monday to ask him about whether he will support rules, it might work. Solving any of these big challenges Mourdock, Lugar issued a terse “no comment.” During his will require at least some support from both parties. No Election Night concession speech, Lugar said, “I hope my matter what happens in 2012, neither party will likely have opponent prevails in November to contribute to a Republi- the power to unilaterally ram through its agenda in the HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 6 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, May 17, 2012

near future, but both parties will retain enough power to obstruct the other side – especially with 60 votes becoming Election analysts trot the de facto threshold for most anything passing the Sen- ate.” But the most compelling observations came out the old myths from 5th CD Republican nominee Susan Brooks, who told By HPI on Tuesday, “I’m into governing. I actually believe part FORT WAYNE - It has always perplexed me how so of why Congress is broken is they’ve gotten away from much analysis can be so wrong. Here are a few common what it really means to govern and to help state and local analysis errors about the recent Indiana primary. governments govern. I’m into good government and good 1. Over-simplified analysis of first tier of government isn’t about having predisposed notions on ev- numbers: “In 2010 Dan Coats’ opponents combined ery issue as to how you’re going to vote. I’d say I’d like to received the same number of votes read the bill before I tell you how I’m going to vote on that. as Mourdock.” Yeah, so what? Let’s I like to understand both sides. Instead of talking about take this apart for a minute. The core compromising, I want to talk about achieving and advocat- assumption is that opponents against ing. the “incumbent” or “chosen candidate” “It means instead of giving up your conservative would combine if there was just one principles, it means finding resolution and solution to prob- opponent is a myth. lems,” Brooks said. a. Dan Coats received 50% in Al- Asked about the cornerstone of Mourdock’s cam- len County: Richard Mourdock received paign and his attack on bipartisanship, Brooks explained, 68%. This was also true for Lake and “I haven’t had a chance to sit down with Richard. We saw St. Joe, among other counties. In other each other out on the campaign trail on occasion and he words, even a simple glance at the was friendly. I actually look forward to asking him if he has numbers would show distribution changes. that position, how does he expect to govern in a two-party b. Had not been in the race, system? The people of the 5th I listened to said they want Coats’ margin in Allen would have been larger and his per- people to attack the serious problems and not dig in. I am centage in northern and northeastern Indiana would have not certain how Richard Mourdock will reconcile that with been greater because that was his political base. what I experienced in the 5th.” c. The donut counties did run at 60% non-Coats Brooks added, “It seems to me the debt and and non-Lugar. But to argue that they were the same jobs, getting the economy back on track, will take business people means that Lugar had no larger Indy base than principles in government. It will take reducing government Coats. If so, none of us saw this coming. spending, reforming the big entitlement programs, and d. Dan Coats filed a few days before the primary, those difficult problems are going to have to require a lot had not represented Indiana since the turn of the century, more people sitting down and figuring out what we can was a lobbyist, and had a zero campaign balance. Sena- agree upon. I heard extreme frustration from the voters. At tor Lugar was an incumbent with years to prepare, lots of the meet and greets I attended, with mostly Republicans cash, and had started his campaign long before the filing and independents, there was concern about the Republican date. Not to mention that he had a warning from the 2010 Party and its inability to get things done. I really do believe election. If Lugar’s defeat was shocking, then Coats’ win they were looking for practical, problem-solving oriented was astounding. While Coats did not have an opponent individuals.” close to as strong a candidate as Mourdock, his victory was On the day of Fettig’s op-ed, USA Today editorial- more astounding than Lugar’s defeat. ized: “The problem will never be solved without bipartisan e. 2010 was a much more intensely driven ideologi- compromise. But the true-believers continue to hold out for cal primary; 2012 had over 100,000 more Republican pri- a day when their party can get its way by capturing control mary voters. Supposedly more voters means more who are of the White House, the House of Representatives, and the less ideologically driven. So if the voters were less driven, 60 or more votes in the Senate needed to break filibusters. and more of them, why would the 60% be transferable? Never mind that the likelihood of that happening anytime f. Having no other competitor helped Mourdock soon is the same as that of Ron Paul winning the presiden- primarily because it unified the opposition and brought a tial election. And so the nation continues toward a fiscal combined focus to outside help. v cliff.” 2. Undecided voters go to the challenger: a. Sometimes. But do you notice how few com- mentators say “sometimes”? HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 7 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, May 17, 2012

b. When Lugar was at 42% people legitimately anyone listening on the ground. warned that he was “in trouble.” If I had accepted that f. Any candidate will get some of the undecided being under 50% meant that I was going to lose I would voters, even incumbents, for name ID reasons alone. Yet have served one term. With controversial views on im- Lugar’s vote dropped below the number who said they peachment, TARP, cash for clunkers, GM, “Corpus Christi” were voting for him. I would argue that he did, in fact, get and maybe one some undecided but hundred other saw some meltdown of things, every elec- his own voters just as tion was an adven- the Howey poll sug- ture. I was written gested. off yet my closest 3. GOTV (get out elections were 8.13 the vote) can be the and 15 point wins difference in a close and I won 16 of 16 race, but gets much races (primary and too much emphasis. general) averaging a. Lugar probably more than 20-point turned out many vot- margins. ers who once were his c. Unde- but had switched. cided voters give b. When funds are the challenger a limited, persuade the “chance” to win voters first and then them because they with extra money, turn are not locked your voters out. Mar- down. If the ket positioning is more incumbent is just important than getting not loved but not out your voters. My disliked, the unde- goal was to win no mat- cided voters break almost exactly like the decided voters. ter who voted. If the challenger is weak, the same holds true or, since the voters know the incumbent, break even greater for the c. The extra non-counted people polled by the Howey poll incumbent. If both the challenger and the incumbent are proved this point. Mourdock won among voters and non- well known (like my primary against long-time Fort Wayne voters. It didn’t matter who voted. mayor and senatorial nominee Paul Helmke, where both of 4. If you are behind and aren’t especially our name IDs were above 95%) the undecided are, well, popular, spend all your money trying to destroy undecided. your opponent. d. The Howey/DePauw poll clearly blew apart the a. A nice, positive race by Lugar would probably myth, yet the underneath numbers were widely ignored have netted him a respectable loss of 45-48% given the so people could trot out old theories because Lugar’s effectiveness of Mourdock’s campaign, but he would have “hard yes” voters remained stuck at 42%. The poll clearly had a better chance of winning. He went for broke by showed that it was not inevitable that it stayed at 42%. At trying to personally destroy his opponent. Generally, when first, Mourdock’s favorable and vote rose as his name ID you “go for broke” you wind up broke. In political terms, rose. Before the debate, Mourdock’s numbers had stalled that means getting plastered 60-40. in every poll. In other words, he was no longer rising as b. The alternative – to lay a solid base, explain his name ID rose and “true undecided” were rising. After your views and mix with some but not constant hard, ef- the debate, each poll showed “undecided” moving toward fective issue-based negatives – leads to different results. Mourdock. Debra Fischer just did that in the Republican Nebraska Sen- e. Lugar also was developing some problems. ate primary on Tuesday. Richard Mourdock, in his own ads Lugar only needed to gain 8%. But his unfavorable per- and in the debate, did the same thing. So did Mitch Dan- centage rose to one point higher than his favorable (that iels. It is likely that Mike Pence will as well. Winners usually is almost always the final bell tolling) and approximately do. v one-third of the voters said that they had grown more un- favorable to Lugar post-debate. This trend was obvious to Souder is a former Republican Member of Congress. HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 8 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, May 17, 2012

me that age is a disqualifier. Daniels had worked with one Mitch’s ads for Lugar no of the oldest politicians ever to serve as President, Ronald Reagan, and was able to effectively help shape an image of substitute for ground game a forward-looking President engaged in the future. There was nothing in the Daniels ads for Lugar that By SHAW R. FRIEDMAN projected progress or someone forward looking. The ads – LAPORTE - By most accounts, the race between written, produced and starring Mitch Daniels – did nothing Richard Mourdock and Dick Lugar was fairly close up to other than reinforce a perception of the Senator’s prior just three weeks ago. Yet a strategic decision was made to achievements. Hoosiers who are struggling want forward- saturate with commercials featuring Gov. Mitch Daniels and thinking, pragmatic representatives in Washington who can it seemed as if the Lugar campaign was in free-fall in the get things done for them and their communities. following three weeks. The millions spent running those ads featuring I’ve talked to a half dozen Republican friends last Mitch could and should have been better spent develop- night and into this morning as we do post-mortems and ing an effective ground game. The Republicans I’ve talked the consensus is not that this represents a victory for the with said they received at best a single phone call from the Tea Party so much as the defeat of a candidate who utterly Lugar operation in the days leading up to the election! Can lost touch with the Republican grassroots. The national you imagine not spending money on targeting moderate news this morning is, of course, full of simplistic analysis by and mainstream Republicans with identification, persuasion Washington, D.C., pundits featur- and GOTV phone calls in the days and weeks leading up ing obsequious and utterly detest- to May 8th? Even mail that was sent to Republicans was able turncoats like described to me as “uninspiring” “not very memorable” and who now wave the carcass of their certainly not capable of keeping Republicans on the reser- once-praised colleague. Mind you, vation. Chocola had been the beneficiary of So much for the vaunted Daniels political brain Lugar largesse and support during trust. In the course of visiting some two dozen precincts in his congressional campaigns and LaPorte County yesterday as part of my efforts on behalf of never once passed by an opportu- various Democratic candidates, I took note of the absolute nity to pose for a photo with the lack of any kind of Lugar presence at the polls. Mourdock internationally recognized Senator had a presence at most of those polling places even resort- when it suited his purpose. ing to bringing in young, conservatively dressed individuals But Chocola’s Club for Growth shows no senti- from evangelical churches outside of Indiana. (I noted one mentality when it decides to turn on someone and turn it Ohio license plate and one Michigan plate on the cars of did. It’s a corporate funded group of entities that in shark- different Mourdock volunteers.) Not a single precinct fea- like fashion brooks no dissent when it comes to support- tured an individual out palm-carding for the Senator in this ing scofflaw multinationals eager to avoid their U.S. tax most critical election. obligations or gut the social services safety net this country As the history is written of this election, let’s has built since the Great Depression. Knowing that these not let the Tea Party and their affiliated groups grab too outside PACs and Super PACs were coming after his men- much of the credit. Much of the blame rightly belongs to tor, what did Mitch Daniels really do to stem the tide? folks like Gov. Mitch Daniels whose once vaunted political Why not call in any favor to keep some of these instincts failed him badly as he sought vainly to support guys at bay? Why not tap that national reputation to make his old boss. Not only did he fail to keep the Republican the call to guys like Dick Armey and Chris Chocola to say super-PACs from attacking Lugar, his own ads did little “hey, I need you guys taking a pass on this one.” Nah. No to help cast the Senator in a forward looking light. Mitch’s indication that Daniels was willing to put his hide on the ads diverted resources that were desperately needed for a line. viable phone and mail program to identify supporters, per- In typical ego-centric fashion, he figured suade them to stick with the Senator and them get them cutting a couple of TV ads for his old boss would carry out to vote. The election day operation at the polls was the day. Daniels failed to understand that the ads only nonexistent on behalf of Dick Lugar. This man who built reinforced the increasing image of a statesman whose the modern Republican party in Indiana deserved a helluva best days were behind him. The ads were not particularly more from Mitch and those many who have benefited by effective in that they represented more an ode to Lugar’s his larger-than-life presence over the decades. v past service rather than a tangible, forward-looking projec- tion of what Dick Lugar could do for Indiana. Don’t tell Shaw R. Friedman is a LaPorte attorney. HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 9 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, May 17, 2012

Auditor Tim Berry: The current auditor and Pence to announce LG former treasurer from Fort Wayne would provide some geographic balance, probably the least important criterion. choice in next ‘few days’; Pence will do well in Fort Wayne and northeast Indiana, so Berry would have little impact. HPI short lists State Sen. : He is the rising star of the conservative wing, hails from Columbia City and has By BRIAN A. HOWEY been active in recruiting legislative candidates, establishing NASHVILLE, Ind. - Mike Pence’s gubernatorial himself as an early career kingmaker. Many in the GOP see campaign emailed supporters this morning that he will be him playing at the gubernatorial level in the not-so-distant choosing his running mate “in the next few days,” suggest- future. If Pence decides to go with youth, Banks would fit ing a selection is already in the works. that bill. But as one Republican veteran observed, “It may What we do know is that it won’t be Lt. Gov. Becky be a little too early, but you can’t rule out any of the young Skillman. While many Hoosier Republicans had expressed turks.” a desire for her to stay into a second administration, and Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas: Gov. Daniels Pence was attuned to that sentiment, it’s not going to hap- wanted him to be attorney general, but he lost a GOP con- pen. vention floor fight to Greg Zoeller. The Times of Northwest “She and Pence crossed that bridge some time Indiana has been pushing his candidacy on the ticket, but ago,” said Danielle Chrysler, Skillman’s chief of staff. “While sources tell HPI that family considerations may keep him in she declined to remain on as lieutenant governor, she Valpo. pledged her help in any way.” State Sen. : The Carmel Republican The ticket decision will be made by Pence, his has been very active with the Tea Party wing, and many wife Karen, and Pence’s longtime chief of staff Bill Smith, are peeved at Pence’s debt ceiling vote last August. Delph informed and reliable GOP sources tell HPI. Pence said in would be a shout out to them. his email, “Experience in the private sector and an under- Dan Dumezich: The former state representative standing of state government are critical to from Schererville is a powerful Chicago tax attorney and a bringing jobs to Hoosiers.” The speculation – and that is what it is at this point – says that Pence will need a Statehouse hand. He’s been in Congress for a dozen years and like Mitch Daniels discovered, a seasoned veteran of the legislature will help him navigate the process. Unlike Daniels, Pence has main- tained significant contact with Republican legislators over the years. He was the catalyst in the legislation that cut off state funding to Planned Parenthood during the 2011 session. State Rep. Sue Ellspermann appears to fit many criteria that might make her a good The next level of speculation is running mate for Republican gubernatorial nominee Mike Pence: gender, geography, that after Skillman and Lt. Gov. Kathy education. Davis, a modern precedent has been es- tablished similar to how county and state political parties are set up: the ticket needs gender equal- major GOP fundraiser, playing a critical role in Mitt Rom- ity. ney’s Indiana operations. He pondered a 2010 challenge With that in mind, here is HPI’s speculation list for to then U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh and opted out, otherwise he the Republican and Democratic tickets: could be in the Senate right now. He serves on the Indiana House Speaker Brian C. Bosma: He’s on some Election Commission. Dumezich is tight with former con- lists, but it just doesn’t make sense that Bosma would gressman David McIntosh, a Pence confidant. Dumezich jump from the most important legislative position to be brings geography, money, a tax portfolio, legislative experi- Pence’s second banana. Republican sources cite his abil- ence and has vivid relationships with GOP rainmakers like ity to raise money and he would certainly be helpful to the Dean White. legislative process, but he can do those things as speaker. State Rep. Sue Ellspermann: The freshman HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 10 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, May 17, 2012

from Ferdinand was part of the 2010 GOP wave, so she heritage would be a plus for a Pence ticket, which has to is not the “seasoned veteran” some envision. But Ellsper- be concerned about GOP relations with the fastest growing mann’s resume shouts for inclusion. She has a background voter block in the state. Kubacki is the daughter of Raul in academia with University of Southern Indiana as well as and Christina Espinoza, and at a young age she moved to business development. Ellspermann is the founding direc- Indiana where her parents were hired to pick tomatoes in tor of the Center for Applied Research at the University of Oswego. Rep. Pence has spent considerable time and politi- Southern Indiana which mobilizes staff and students to as- cal capital trying to forge immigration reform on Capitol sist regional businesses and organizations with applied re- Hill. She has been a community activist on children’s issues search, consulting projects and internships. She also serves and Latino affairs, and has served on the Riley Foundation on Indiana’s Home Town Competitiveness Resource Team and presidential advisory boards for Manchester College, Ivy Tech and the Indiana Historical Museum.

Potential Republican lieutenant governor short-listers include (from left) Mark Miles, Rep. Kubacki, Cathy Langham, Sen. Banks, Rep. McNamara, and Prosecutor Hill.

hosted in the Office of Community and Rural Affairs facili- Cathy Langham: She was co-founder of India- tating communities in their revitalization efforts through a napolis-based Langham Logistics Inc. in 1988 and functions deliberate, organic process. She holds a BSIE from Purdue as its president and chief executive officer. She offers two and MSIE and Ph.D from the University of Louisville. She decades of logistics expertise to business leaders in a wide has published research in Omega, the International Jour- spectrum of industries including pharmaceutical, food and nal of Management Science and Engineering Management beverage, automotive, and other industries with complex Journal. Her client organizations ranged from Fortune 500 supply chains. She splits her time among three key areas, to rural communities supporting innovation, problem solv- company presidency, customer relations, and civic leader- ing, strategic planning, facilitation, team building and inter- ship. Langham’s visibility as CEO of a fast-growing business personal skills development. She has previous engineering enterprise earned her firm a visit from President George and management experience with General Motors, Michelin W. Bush. In 2005, she accepted a role on the Indiana and Frito-Lay. When you look at what Ellspermann has to Economic Development Corporation Board at the invitation offer – education, business innovation, rural development, of Governor Mitch Daniels. Langham would offer Pence geography, gender – it’s not hard to envision a “Pence- gender and economic development elements. Ellspermann” ticket. State Rep. Wendy McNamara: Yet another Elkhart County Prosecutor Curtis Hill: He is a freshman from Mount Vernon in Posey County, she offers three-term prosecutor, first elected in 2002. Hill has testi- gender, geographical, business development and educa- fied before Congress on “Methamphetamine in the Heart- tional portfolios for the Pence campaign. She received her land” and was a presenter for the 2004 Northern Indiana undergraduate degree in political science from the Univer- Methamphetamine Summit sponsored by the Office of sity of Indianapolis, teacher certification from Valparaiso National Drug Control Policy Executive Office of the Presi- University and masters in Education and Educational dent of the United States. He chairs the Governor’s Council Leadership from the University of Southern Indiana. Her on Impaired Dangerous Driving. educational career spans over 16 years with the Evansville State Rep. Rebecca Kubacki: Another fresh- Vanderburgh School Corporation, where she served as a man Republican from Syracuse, the diminutive Kubacki teacher and department chair at Benjamin Bosse and Har- campaigned under the slogan “too small to fail.” Her Latino rison high schools, as the supervisor of social studies and as the assistant principal at Evansville North High School. HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 11 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, May 17, 2012

She is currently director of Early College High School, an southern river counties that used to generate gubernatorial innovative school developing a model for high school stu- victories. dents who simultaneously earn both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree or two years of college credit The Gregg ticket toward a bachelor’s degree. She has served as an adjunct Informed and reliable sources tell HPI that Demo- professor for world history at the University of Southern cratic gubernatorial nominee John Gregg is thinking geog- Indiana and has taught political science and social studies raphy and gender. With this in mind, here’s a speculative methods at the University of Evansville. In her freshman list for the Gregg ticket: years in the legislature, she was author of laws to have State Rep. Terri Austin: When she rose in the inmate correspondence courses approved in advance by House chamber in the opening the Department of Correction, a streamlining of the Depart- minutes of the 2011 session ment of Child Services, and the lowering of the corporate wearing a red dress, her decla- tax from 8.5% to 6.5%. And on the purely political front, ration was the first salvo in the McNamara’s elevation to the ticket might prompt the GOP Right to Work wars. The Ander- to lose HD76 against former Democratic State Rep. Trent son Democrat entered the House Van Haaften. But if Van Haaften were to return to the in 2002 after Gregg’s exit. She House, many Democrats would urge him to take on Mi- is the ranking minority member nority Leader B. Patrick Bauer, and as Gov. Daniels would of the Rules & Legislative Pro- advise his predecessor, a deposed Bauer would be a good cedures Committee. In addition, development for a rookie governor. she is a member of the Finan- Mark Miles: He headed the Indianapolis Super cial Institutions Committee, the Bowl, is a business leader who headed the Central Indiana Public Policy Committee, and the Corporate Partnership and is a GOP stalwart. He would be a Joint House–Senate Rules Com- new face with no legislative record. As one county chair put mittee. During her time in the it, “Mark would be a safe choice, if interested.” Some of his House, she has championed leg- political friends, however, have trouble seeing him presid- islation to help improve the lives ing over the Senate for three to four months a year and he of Hoosiers and to advance the doesn’t have the agricultural background that’s part of the state’s economic climate through LG portfolio. transportation, technology, edu- Marion Mayor Wayne Seybold: Some view his cation, small business, and work- 5th CD run where he finished fourth as “damaged goods” force development. In 2005, she even though he entered the race late. But Seybold has was author of Indiana’s landmark been a good mayor, steering Marion through the near law to protect small business liquidation of the domestic auto industry. That will be an from burdensome regulations, issue in the fall campaign and Seybold could be useful to earning her the Guardian of Pence on that front. Seybold also worked with Democratic Small Business award from the Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight on regional economic National Federation of Indepen- development issues. And he’s an Olympic skater, and after dent Business (NFIB). In 2009, watching Pence’s first TV ad where Mike and Karen are she was awarded the Friend of seen skating at the Pepsi Coliseum, a First Couple might Economic Development citation want to have that type of expertise on the team. by the Indiana Economic Devel- Howard County Republican Chairman Craig Dunn opment Association. observed, “Follow the money. If history has served us, then Kokomo Mayor Greg Democratic LG short-listers I think we should keep our eyes on Jim Kittle, Fred Klipsch, Goodnight: The two-term may- include Rep. Austin and Bob Grand and Dean White. They are the Republican or has been innovative, cutting Mayors McDermott and rainmakers and their vote counts a little extra. I think that Kokomo’s city employees and Goodnight. the final candidate will be one who is non-threatening to helped steer the city through the Marion County and donut county interests. I just have a the auto crisis of 2008-10. He is hunch that Miles may be the one.” a former union president at Haynes International, helping HPI’s take: Our early money is on Ellspermann. that company recover from bankruptcy. He ran unsuccess- She has great credentials across the spectrum and would fully for Congress in 1996 before serving on the Kokomo put a dent in Democratic intentions to regain traction in the City Council. He has been active in regional economic HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 12 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, May 17, 2012

development. On the weekend Gregg officially kicked off his campaign, one of the first stops was to pay a visit to RGA pumps $1 million Mayor Goodnight. A good fundraiser, Goodnight is sitting on a considerable war chest. Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry: The two-term into Pence campaign as mayor would help the Gregg ticket in the GOP-dominated northeastern Indiana. He is a businessman and a former TV ad sequence begins member of the Fort Wayne City Council. State Rep. Linda Lawson: The Hammond By BRIAN A. HOWEY Democrat is a powerful lieutenant to House Minority INDIANAPOLIS -Republican gubernatorial nominee Leader B. Patrick Bauer. She was the first female captain Mike Pence’s gubernatorial campaign received a huge fi- on the Hammond Police Department. As a police officer, nancial boost in the wake of the Indiana primary last week she worked as a patrol officer and when the Republican Governors Association dumped $1 with the sex crimes and domestic million into his warchest. violence divisions. Lawson (pictured, It comes atop the $5 million Pence reported in left) has also served as a member of 2011 and the record $1.8 million he raised in the first quar- the Hammond School Board for 12 ter of this year. He reported $4.929 million cash on hand as years. In 1998, Lawson was elected of March 31. “The Republican to the Indiana House to represent Governors Association is very District 1, which encompasses most committed to this race,” said of Hammond, Munster and parts campaign spokeswoman Chris- of Whiting. She has served as the ty Denault. She said it was chair of the Judiciary Committee the first cash infusion by the and on such legislative committees RGA. And it lengthens Pence’s as Environmental Affairs, Courts & money lead over Democrat Criminal Code, Family Affairs, Educa- nominee John Gregg, who raised tion, and Labor. She currently is a member of the Statutory just $584,570 for the first quarter, $2.3 million total for Committee on Ethics, Judiciary, Public Policy, and the Select the cycle, and reported $1.5 million cash on hand. The big Committee on Government Reduction. Lawson has been money lead has allowed Pence to go up on TV Tuesday in involved in many pieces of crucial domestic violence legisla- what Denault called “a significant buy” statewide. Pence is tion in her career at the Statehouse. She has served on shown here at his campaign kickoff in Columbus in June numerous boards such as Haven House, a women’s shelter 2011. in Lake County, and the Boys and Girls Club. The Pence ad features wife Karen Pence describ- Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr.: The ing the couple’s first date - skating at the Pepsi Coliseum at three-term mayor has been a significant innovator, using the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The ad follows the story of the city’s casino money to fund college scholarships for Pence’s life, from his boyhood in Columbus, Indiana, to his students there. He has reached out to neighboring cities time at Hanover College and the School such as Whiting to consolidate government functions. Mc- of Law, to his career at the Indiana Policy Review and the Dermott is Lake County Democratic chairman and has been syndicated radio show he hosted. She describes Pence as a a proponent of government reform. Thus, he is a powerful loving husband and father who also loves Indiana and “has player among the largest pool of Democratic voters in Indi- a servant’s heart.” Pence campaign manger Kyle Robert- ana. A shot at the ticket could help Gregg maximize turnout son explains, “Along with Mike’s jobs tour, his visits to all in The Region. 92 counties and all of our grassroots efforts, this is just Woody Myers: We hear he’s not interested. another way for us to take our message directly to Hoosiers That’s too bad. The former Indiana and New York City all across the state.” health commissioner has a fabulous resume, was a hero in Democratic nominee John Gregg made news on the Ryan White saga, knows emergency rooms and board Monday, calling for a “fast track audit” of state finances. rooms, and is an extremely successful venture capitalist Gregg, a former House speaker, cited a recent news report who could do wonders for Gregg’s paltry warchest. on WISH-TV in which a state field auditor, Cathy Luff, said There is much less speculation in Democratic the state is sitting on overpaid taxes by businesses rather circles about the developing Gregg ticket. If Republicans than returning the money. “Who is minding the shop?” go gender, then Austin and Lawson will come under critical Gregg said as he stood in front of the Statehouse today. consideration. Our early bet is a Gregg/Austin ticket. v “This is the fourth error in just a matter of days, a matter HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 13 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, May 17, 2012

Status: Likely Pence The USA Super PAC’s Jim Bopp Jr. announced the ad against Donnelly. Bopp, a Republican national committeeman from Terre Haute, says the ad will run for the next week. It features voice over of “President Obama” making a phone call to Donnel- ly: “, this is President Obama. I hear you want to stay in Washington as a US Senator. That’s a great idea. With all the bailout and stimu- lus money we gave the unions and government workers you can count on them for campaign cash. The last thing I need is another Hoosier conserva- tive blocking my agenda.” The TV ad comes as Donnelly released a Global Strategy Group poll, showing Donnelly and Mike and Karen Pence pick up a cue from Marion Mayor Wayne Seybold and Tea Party candidate Mourdock locked in a tie at ice skate in the campaign’s first TV ad that began airing on Tuesday. 40-40, with 20 percent of voters undecided. The of less than half a year. We’ve to have a complete audit survey of 602 likely voters was conducted May of all state government and see where the moneys are, 10-13 and the margin of error at the 95% confidence level what’s missing, who has overpaid, how this continues to is +/- 4.0. It follows a March 26-27 survey of 503 general happen.” Gregg said that combined with earlier incidents election voters in the Howey/DePauw Indiana Battleground it demonstrates the need to speed up a state audit, and Poll that showed Donnelly and Mourdock tied at 35%. In to spread it beyond just the state Department of Revenue. addition to the race being tied, key data points from the In December, the state disclosed it had let $320 million in GSG show Donnelly in a strong position for November. They business taxes paid by e-check accumulate and in a hold- include: Mourdock’s favorability rating is upside down. Hoo- ing fund. In April, the state Department of Revenue said a sier voters have an unfavorable view of Tea Party candidate software error had resulted in counties being shortchanged Richard Mourdock; those surveyed viewed him more unfa- $206 million. A third error was discovered at the end of vorably than favorably by a 37-36 margin, including 22 per- April, when a clerical mistake in the auditor’s office resulted cent of respondents holding a strongly unfavorable view of in 34 counties being underpaid by about $536,000. the Tea Party candidate. The Tea Party as a whole is very On Wednesday, Gregg called for eliminating the unpopular. Hoosier voters view the group unfavorably by state’s corporate income tax on Indiana-based businesses a 10 point margin, 44-34,clearly showing that Mourdock’s Wednesday as he continued to roll out his policy ideas Tea Party candidacy will be dragged down by the group’s ahead of November’s election. The former Indiana House unpopularity. Senate Horse Race Status: Tossup speaker also said he’ll push for targeted tax credits for In- diana businesses as a way to create high-paying jobs, and Romney posts $40 million in April; plans to cover the $350 million cost by taxing online sales Obama leads in Fox News Poll by retailers such as Amazon.com. “That’s what I believe Mitt Romney almost matched President Obama in this campaign is about, it’s about jobs, and to do this we’ve fund-raising during April after securing his party’s presiden- got to create a level playing field for Hoosier businesses,” tial nomination and joining forces with the Republican Na- Gregg said. Gregg has previously said he would like to tional Committee, the campaign will announce on Thursday abolish the sales tax on gasoline and cover the loss in rev- (New York Times). Mr. Romney and the R.N.C. raised $40.1 enue through routine audits of state spending. He cites the million in April, just shy of the $43.6 million that Mr. Obama $526 million in mistakes discovered by the state Depart- and the Democratic National Committee raised. ment of Revenue in the last six months and other states’ A new poll from Fox News has President Obama experiences conducting external audits. Indiana Senate leading Mitt Romney by 7 percentage points. The poll -- Tax and Fiscal Policy Chairman Brandt Hershman called the which put Obama ahead 46 percent to 39 -- paints a rosier Gregg proposal “laudable” but said the unintended conse- picture for Obama than several others this week, including quences of narrowly focused tax cuts would affect major surveys from Rasmussen and the Washington Times that out-of-state employers like Subaru, which announced plans showed Romney leading by a single percentage point and to expand this week. “I think it’s a valuable discussion to one from Gallup that had the candidates in a dead heat. have, but the devil is in the details in the impact of a sug- The Real Clear Politics polling average has Obama ahead by gestion like this,” he said. Gubernatorial Horse Race 2.5 points. v HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 14 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, May 17, 2012

by 1.4 percent and our employment off by 4.9 percent, Tie between output about 181,000 people. “But here’s the good part of all this: our productiv- and jobs loosened ity has climbed,” Crusty boasted like a proud grandparent. “In the nation, productivity (GDP per job) climbed by 3.2 By MORTON J. MARCUS percent while Indiana did even better, going up by 3.6 INDIANAPOLIS - Crusty Crawford joined our lunch percent.” table with a pronouncement. “We’ve always assumed a “That’s perverse,” I growled, energized to close tie between output and employment,” he said. No one speak. “You focus on a statistical sliver of silver in the gray responded. cloud while millions of Americans go unemployed.” “Yes, sir,” he continued, speaking to our blank “Now wait just one minute,” Crusty protested. “I too faces, “used to be folks could count on sort of a direct link am disturbed by the unemployment, but as a nation we between the amount of stuff we made as a nation and the have to see the current conditions as opportunities. The number of jobs it took to make that stuff. More carbure- country is out of the recession and enjoying higher produc- tors, more cars, more auto workers. tivity. This gives us the chance to find jobs for the unem- Why, some of the best economic ployed doing useful things rather than going from place to observers would just sit on their place looking for jobs. Higher value per job means more porches and count the trucks going capability to support other jobs. by. More trucks, more drivers, a “Yes, yes, I know,” Crusty looked at each of us indi- better economy.” vidually, “it means creating jobs to meet national and local His listeners looked at their needs. However, you sit here and decry unemployment, meals as Crusty carried forth. “But but you do not support employing the jobless. That’s plain I’m here to tell you, that tie is get- hypocrisy!” ting looser, that link is not as snug Crusty left us at that point. No one had anything to as before. Indeed, just consider say. v what’s happened over the past few years.” Mr. Marcus is an independent economist, writer and Here it came. Crusty had speaker formerly with the IU Kelley School of Busi- spent the morning playing with some statistics, and we ness. were about to be regaled with the story they told. There was no avoiding it. Crusty said, “Between 2007 and 2010 our Gross Domestic Product or GDP, the value of all we make and do in this country, fell by just 0.3 percent. Oh, you may look surprised, but I’m right. The recovery had brought us back from the low of the recession to where we were just about even with our pre-recession high.” As he looked from face to face, Crusty said as an aside, “Did you know there are folks who still talk of the recession as if it was still going on? Well the truth is, not only is the recession over, the recovery itself was ending in 2010. We were, as we are now, in the expansion phase of the business cycle.” To break the silence, I said, “Is that so?” When Sen. Dick Lugar ran his 30th consecutive ACLI Capital “Darn right,” Crusty offered. “But even with the re- Challenge last year, the celebration was a modest one. Everyone cession over, that is, with output back on the growth track just assumed there’d be a few more milestones ahead. But the (and it has been for 11 quarters now), we were producing Indiana Republican lost his primary last week. Next year, he will no with 3.4 percent fewer people. That’s 6.1 million fewer jobs longer be eligible to run the annual three-miler, which pits teams spread across the nation.” of Capitol Hill folks, agency staffers and journalists against one “So how is Indiana doing?” I asked as if inquiring another. So it was his 31st race Wednesday in Anacostia Park that after a distant aunt. turned into a bittersweet victory lap. What kept him running all Crusty’s normally stoic face softened as he said, these years? “I thought it was a beautiful opportunity,” Lugar told “Not as good I’m afraid. Our output in 2010 was still down . (Washington Post Photo) HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 15 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, May 17, 2012

Larry Sabato & Kyle Kondik, Univer- meaningless. If you like significant media frenzies that can sity of Virginia: In the beginning, there was the Etch A have an impact on the election, you may have to wait for Sketch. After the Illinois primary on March 20, which sig- Mitt Romney’s running-mate unveiling. Until then, you’ll naled the beginning of the end of the Republican presiden- have plenty of frenziettes to occupy your time and atten- tial nominating process, Mitt Romney adviser Eric Fehrn- tion. v strom discussed how his candidate would pivot toward the general election: “It’s almost like an Etch A Sketch. You Mark Kiesling, NWI Times: One of the things I can kind of and restart all over again.” Several think did in veteran U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar was that no one days later, there was President Obama, who told Russian was quite sure where he lives. Some critics of Lugar said President Dmitri Medvedev that he would have “flexibility” he was too old at 80 to be seeking re-election. I remember to negotiate on missile defense after the election. Then having a “Lugar for Senate” bumper sticker on my first car, there were the comments from Hilary Rosen, a Demo- a 1966 Ford Mustang. But I’m not buying it. State Rep. cratic strategist, who said that Ann Romney (wife of Mitt) Charlie Brown, D-Gary, is 74 and still sharp as a tack. He “never worked a day in her life.” And last week, after his knocked off a 45-year-old opponent, Tony Walker, with vice president pushed him into a corner, Obama surprised ease. Lake County Commissioner Gerry Scheub, D-Crown no one by endorsing gay marriage, a Darwinian evolution Point, is 76 and squashed his opponent, former Lake from his earlier position of supporting just civil unions. The County Sheriff Roy Dominguez, who is 58. But much was very next day -- in a bit of timing we’ll simply made of where Lugar and his family really live. He call curiously coincidental -- the Washington Post has a home in Virginia, which is not unusual for a reported that Mitt Romney, as a prep school boy, guy who has served for 36 years in the U.S. Sen- cut the hair of a purportedly gay classmate in an ate. You need a place to lay your head close to the act of bullying at his elite boarding school. What U.S. Capitol. I mean, it would be kind of counter- do all of these things have in common? They are productive for him to fly to Washington every day all, to at least some degree, “feeding frenzies.” from Indianapolis, where he was mayor before Candidates beware: With the presidential silly running for the Senate in 1976. He might well have season upon us, you are entering what can be described, been the victim of Charlie White syndrome where residency contra Bill O’Reilly, as the “All-Spin Zone.” Without actual becomes an issue in the campaign and eventually results in news, the press will fixate on any gaffe, big or small. But a candidate’s downfall. v how many of these frenzies actually matter? Not all feeding frenzies are the same, but they generally can be classified Indiana Policy Review: Congratula- into three levels of severity: Mega Frenzy: The infrequent Andrea Neal, tions and best of luck to the Class of 2012. Even with a “black hole” frenzy that sucks in most available media light degree in hand, they’ll need it. A college diploma just and dominates the news for weeks or months. It is remem- doesn’t mean what it used to. Consider the following: At 85 bered as the dominant story of a particular election or era: percent of colleges, students can graduate without taking Watergate, the Iran-Contra Affair, and Bill Clinton’s affair an intermediate level foreign language course. “A perva- with Monica Lewinsky all qualify. Full Frenzy: A major sive lack of knowledge about foreign cultures and foreign event that connects to a candidate’s existing subtext -- that languages threatens the security of the United States as is, the way journalists think the real person underneath well as its ability to compete in the global marketplace and the public exterior is defined. An example is Gary Hart’s produce an informed citizenry” (National Research Council reckless extramarital relationship with Donna Rice, which 2007). At 80 percent of schools, students don’t have to he was pursuing even as the candidate invited reporters take a class in U.S. history. “Part of historical study is learn- to “follow me around. You’ll be very bored.” The revela- ing how to locate, evaluate and employ evidence to sup- tion effectively knocked Hart out of the 1988 Democratic port argument. History is thus both a way of thinking about presidential nominating contest and confirmed lingering the world and a systematic process of analyzing evidence. suspicions about his character. Frenziette: The summer As such, it should be central to any institution’s academic squall of feeding frenzies, which seems important at the programs” (Liberal Learning and the History Major, Michael moment but fades quickly and has no real impact. A New Galgano, 2007). At 34 percent, students need not enroll in York Times article about John McCain’s interactions with a a single college-level math class. Forgive the generalization, lobbyist in 2008 is an example. The story, which seemed to but many have earned diplomas without learning much in suggest far more than it proved, didn’t appear to hurt Mc- core subjects that require critical thinking essential to a Cain in the slightest. So far at least, all the examples listed successful career. v above from the 2012 campaign season probably belong in the “frenziette” category. But that doesn’t mean they are HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 16 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, May 17, 2012

Lake County’s Young Republicans. Pete Hoosier Lottery Seat, spokesman for the state Republi- Budget leaders to to go private can Party, said Wednesday the hearing call for state audit board is composed of three mem- INDIANAPOLIS - The state will bers of the 18-member state central INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana bud- take steps to privatize the operations committee. Seat declined to identify get leaders are issuing a formal call to of the Hoosier Lottery in an effort to the three members of the board but companies interested in auditing the improve the performance of the games said they are from various parts of state’s tax agency following a series – a move that is under consideration the state. “They will hear both sides, of big errors (Associated Press). The in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and other and they will make a recommenda- state is looking for an external auditor states as well (Evansville Courier & tion to the state committee at a later to review the Department of Revenue Press). The Indiana State Lottery time,” Seat said prior to the meeting. after workers discovered $526 million Commission announced Wednesday Lake County GOP Chairman Kim Krull in errors recently. The state issued the that it is seeking information from could not be reached for comment formal request last week and has set companies that would be willing to Wednesday. “Kim Krull is a very intel- next Wednesday as the deadline for operate the lottery. Then in Septem- ligent person,” Lake County Assessor responses. The state budget commit- ber, the state plans to accept actual Hank Adams said Wednesday in her tee is set to meet June 4 to consider bids. “Gov. Mitch Daniels has consis- defense. “Doing something like they’re the responses. Democratic gubernato- tently challenged all of us to identify accusing her of is simply ridiculous.” rial candidate John Gregg called on and implement the state to speed up the audit earlier changes that in the week. promote more Dems file FOIA effective and more efficient to Mourdock Welfare withdrawal state govern- INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana ment,” said prompts probe Democratic Party this morning filed a Hoosier Lottery Freedom Of Information request with INDIANAPOLIS - Reaction is Executive Director Karl Browning. “The Treasurer Richard Mourdock, seeking building at the Indiana Statehouse to goal is to become more strategic in all emails, legal invoices and other an I-Team 8 investigation that showed our business approach in an effort bills from his pursuit of a legal case your tax dollars being withdrawn as to increase revenue for the State of to kill the Chrysler bankruptcy settle- cash in liquor stores, strip clubs and Indiana.” The move comes about six ment (Schneider, Indianapolis Star). casinos across the state and even months after the Kathryn Densborn – Donnelly, as did Lugar, supported the across the country. One lawmaker who then the executive director of the Hoo- help given to Chrysler and GM under saw what I-Team 8 uncovered is now sier Lottery – resigned the post amid President George W. Bush. That was demanding immediate action and an accusations that the agency overspent built on later by President Barack investigation into why one potential on new offices and lavish furniture as Obama. When Chrysler and GM filed fix to the problem is being ignored. it moved from one downtown India- Chapter 11 bankruptcy to reorganize Following more than four months of napolis location to another. their debts, Mourdock was the only research, I-Team 8 unveiled its find- public official in the nation to chal- ings Tuesday . In total, our investiga- lenge the deal, but lost at each step, tion found at least $120,000 in ques- State GOP hears including the U.S. Supreme Court. The tionable withdrawals made by Indiana voter vault case Democrats this morning took two let- welfare recipients. At least $68,000 of ters to Mourdock’s Statehouse office. that money was withdrawn from loca- CROWN POINT - State Repub- One seeks all email correspondence tions currently banned under Indiana lican Party officials heard testimony between Mourdock and the treasurer’s law. The money comes from a feder- and evidence related to allegations office staff about the Chrysler legal ally funded program called Temporary the Lake County party’s database was challenge. The second seeks all legal Assistance for Needy Families, or used to miscast two party candidates invoices, bills and expense receipts TANF. Each month, the cash is loaded as Democrats in the recent primary from the litigation. Mourdock hired a onto electronic benefit transfer (EBT) election (NWI Times). The complaint New York law firm to handle the chal- cards, also known as Hoosier Works was filed by Michael Neal, chairman of lenge. cards.