Delph Ponders GOP Senate Race Twist Sibly in 2018
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V21, N2 Thursday, August 13, 2015 Delph ponders GOP Senate race twist sibly in 2018. In a dynamic Carmel Republican similar to 2011 when Gov. weighing family, job, Mitch Daniels’ family made the final call on a presidential nation, Senate bid run, the Delph family of wife and five daughters will have By BRIAN A. HOWEY the final say. The time line is NASHVILLE, Ind. – Hoosier between now and the end of Republicans are already facing a September. riveting U.S. Senate primary with So will he, or won’t he? the field of After a two-hour interview Eric Holcomb with Howey Politics Indiana and U.S. last Thursday at the Raths- Reps. Marlin keller, the answer is akin to Stutzman riding a seesaw. In reaching a and Todd point of prediction, Delph of- Young. State fers fascinating insights to the Sen. Mike Delph could become the existing field. He is friends fourth and if he does, would bring with them all. But there are some fascinating twists to the first blunt assessments. wide open GOP nomination battle Delph and Stutzman had for an open seat in modern times. adjoining desks when they Whether the Carmel Re- served together in the Indi- publican makes this leap is … well ana Senate. When Stutzman … complicated. The short answer is he wants to, if not in 2016, pos- Continued on page 3 Gov race without Glenda By BRIAN A. HOWEY CORYDON – Last Thursday, Supt. Glenda Ritz met with Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. The con- versation was about education . and only education. “I asked her about some statewide issues, the Cline Avenue Bridge, and she didn’t commit,” “If you’re going to be the Cross- McDermott said. “She didn’t re- ally have any input.” roads of America, you better McDermott asked her have the roads to back it up. who might run for superinten- dent and threw out a couple We’re looking now in the short of names and Ritz, he said, “seemed offended.” term at some opportunities for This odd encounter finally us to strengthen infrastructure made sense at 5 p.m. last Fri- day, when in classic bad news across the state.” dump fashion Ritz dropped out - Gov. Mike Pence of the governor’s race. She of- Page 2 fered no big idea, raised virtually no race. Tallian was out of the country money, had no campaign staff. “It all and unavailable for comment on this made sense the next day,” McDermott story. Former Bayh aide Tom Sugar is said. exploring a run and will make a deter- So the first significant mile- mination within a month, McDermott post in the 2016 gubernatorial race is keeping his options open for both has been passed with Ritz dropping the gubernatorial and U.S. Senate out. It puts 2012 nominee John Gregg races, but won’t likely declare until he in what McDermott calls a “good spot.” is a non-partisan newslet- He has a command- ter based in Indianapolis and ing money advantage, Nashville, Ind. It was founded much labor support, in 1994 in Fort Wayne. is challenging what is becoming a wide- It is published by spread perspective WWWHowey Media, LLC that Gov. Mike Pence 405 Massachusetts Ave., is vulnerable and Suite 300 Indianapolis, IN facing huge policy 46204 obstacles that could divide the GOP even more than it is. Mc- Brian A. Howey, Publisher Dermott said Gregg is Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington trying to consolidate Jack E. Howey, Editor that support, pressing Mary Lou Howey, Editor Democratic mayors around the state for Maureen Hayden, Statehouse Supt. Glenda Ritz joins Democratic gubernatorial candidate endorsements before John Gregg a Vigo County school event on Monday in Terre Matthew Butler, Daily Wire Indiana Democrats Haute, three days after Ritz dropped out of the race. Mark Curry, photography gather in French Lick a week from today. wins a fourth term in Hammond next Subscriptions At this point, Gregg is the November, something he likened to a clear front runner. In the April Howey “three-foot putt.” HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 Politics Indiana Poll, Ritz was known to Sugar told HPI on Wednes- HPI Weekly, $350 62% of voters, compared to just 47% day that while he was being urged Ray Volpe, Account Manager for Gregg, and 46% for McDermott. to run, “I cannot commit” until he 317.602.3620 Gregg had a 14% to 6% favorable/ figures out how to support his fam- email: [email protected] unfavorable, compared to 35/38% for ily over the next 15 months. “If I do Gov. Pence. that, I’m very, very inclined to run,” “Glenda is a huge, huge asset he said. Sugar added that Ritz’s deci- Contact HPI to our governor campaign,” Gregg told sion to drop out will have no bearing www.howeypolitics.com HPI while making campaign stops in on his potential candidacy. Neither [email protected] Fort Wayne Wednesday. “We will work does a potential McDermott entry. “I Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 closely together on policy, announce- don’t spend my time measuring other ments and campaigns. She brings an candidates,” Sugar said. “I’m a differ- Washington: 202.256.5822 unbelievable exposure to education ent animal in all of this. I will present Business Office: 317.602.3620 and education policy.” a clear departure from the past and Gregg said he did not want those who want to trap us there. I will © 2015, Howey Politics Indiana. to get into the “mechanics” of Ritz present a new vision for the future.” All rights reserved. Photocopy- ending her campaign. “I’m just glad Sugar’s “big idea” is the “Lead that Glenda and I are working on the or Leave” independent redistricting ing, Internet forwarding, fax- same team.” commission idea. He said response to ing or reproducing in any form, The only other candidate is this “has been very gratifying. I’ve had whole or part, is a violation of State Sen. Karen Tallian, who like Ritz people stop me on the street saying, federal law without permission hasn’t found traction on any of the ‘You are so right.’ People want some- from the publisher. key elements of a viable gubernatorial thing new. They get it. They are wait- Page 3 ing for someone to come along and do something about it. in Mount Vernon. “The heart of the Indiana will be built in They don’t listen to politicians because they aren’t worth Indiana,” he said to about 200 people. listening to.” Pence used the venue to accentuate his ac- McDermott fears that Sugar is “making it political” complishments. He talked of balanced budgets, tax cuts, when it comes to the redistricting commission, something cutting red tape and “investment on a historic level.” He he has supported and noted that then Secretary of State said that his administration had made high investments Todd Rokita began talking about in 2008. McDermott said in traditional K-12 education, charter schools and 30,000 of Sugar, “I think he’s jumping in.” students are now in the voucher program. It is, he said, The Hammond mayor also believes that Tallian’s shell campaign is really all about a Gregg-Tallian ticket. “It would make sense,” McDermott said. “She’s from the Region. I know John wants a ticket that excites Northwest Indiana. It’s obvious to me they are trying to engage NW Indiana so they can get a bigger vote.” Gregg is obviously feel- ing like he’s on the upswing. “I’m a much better candidate this time, I’m running a much better campaign. Gov. Pence is running on his record and he’s vulnerable.” Gregg said that he will Gov. Mike Pence does a Q & A with a friendly crowd at the Indiana State Fair on Wednesday. (HPI focus on jobs, “not just num- Photo by Brian A. Howey) bers, but living wages.” He added that with the I-65 closure at Lafayette and the Cline “an unprecedented level of resources.” Avenue Bridge issue in Lake County, infrastructure will also “Test scores are up, graduation rates are up,” be his focus. “We’ve had infrastructure issues long before Pence said. the current situation. It’s neglect due to penny pinching,” The one tough question Pence fielded was from he said of the state’s $2 billion surplus. a Clinton County commissioner, who mildly complained that all new road funding at been steered to the Indiana Pence finds friendly crowd at fair Department of Transportation. Pence reminded the com- Gov. Pence did a question-and-answer at the missioner that his first budget provided the first local road Indiana State Fair’s Pioneer Village at noon Wednesday, funding in a decade. “I can assure you that in the next and he arrived not only to soak up the friendly vibe, but session of the General Assembly is going to be an infra- he came bearing gifts. He announced that the Future structure session,” Pence vowed. “Roads mean jobs.” Farmers of America were about to sign a nine-year deal Aftwards, Pence elaborated saying that the $2 to bring their huge convention back to Indianapolis. He billion surplus could be used to address glaring problems hinted that there was some “awful good news for farmers such as the I-65 shutdown at Lafayette. “If you’re going to in 53 counties” be the Crossroads of America, you better have the roads hit by flooding to back it up,” Pence said. “We’re looking now in the short rains this spring term at some opportunities for us to strengthen infrastruc- and summer.