Lt. Gov. Crouch on Politics, Policy

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V26, N16 Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020

Lt. Gov. Crouch on politics, policy ascension as the 2024 She will focus on pandemic Republican gubernatorial nominee is going response while preparing to have to be not only earned, but demon- for what will likely be a strated in terms of raw 2024 gubernatorial run power and clout if she wants to make history By BRIAN A. HOWEY and become Indiana’s INDIANAPOLIS – In December 1976 first female governor and again that same month in 1992, there in what would be the was little doubt that Lt. Gov. Robert Orr and state’s almost 208 Lt. Gov. Frank O’Bannon were destined to years of existence. be their party’s gubernatorial nominees four While Crouch years hence. would head up the Today, Lt. earliest Howey Politics Gov. Gov. Suzanne Indiana Horse Race Crouch is preparing status as a leading for her second term contender, just about that will include a every Republican we’ve vivid response to the talked with expects an once-in-a-century pandemic, as well as what extensive field. At this occurs when we reach the so-called “light nascent point, Crouch at the end of the tunnel” (i.e. the COVID-19 clearing the field as vaccine). Continued on But any inevitability of Crouch’s page 3 Importance of parties By MARK SOUDER FORT WAYNE – One of the oldest cliches in business is that there is no “I” in “team.” In business, you buy a brand, in which a real salesperson is increasingly less important. In politics, it is the “I” on the ballot and a “We strongly believe the vaccine declining percentage of voters who generally vote straight ticket. distribution process could begin When I was congressman, my wife Diane never particu- as soon as the week of Dec. 14. larly liked it when I told her on With this morning’s news that fall election days that probably 30,000 people voting today will Moderna has joined Pfizer in be going to out to specifically submitting an EUA, we continue vote against me. (For the record, my lowest margin was +8% and to be on pace.” my average margin was over - Vice President Pence, in a confer- 20%; closeness was not the point.) To tell someone running ence call to governors on Monday Page 2 for office that there is no “I” in team toral College vote total is projected has far less relevance than in most to be slightly higher than Trump’s in fields of work. If your self esteem is the previous election. Trump’s losing low, try another career. popular vote total is projected to be In politics, however, one slightly lower than Romney’s in 2012. of most important strengths of the To win reelection, President Howey Politics Indiana American system has been the dura- Trump not only needed to prove sig- WWWHowey Media, LLC bility (since 1864) of the dominance nificant fraud in one state, but in at c/o Business Office of two major political parties. Having least three larger states by margins PO Box 6553 two teams, or “tribes” as some like that would require significant cheat- to call them, provides stability to the ing. There is no precedent in U.S. Kokomo, IN, 46904 system. But those parties have never history for such levels of invisible www.howeypolitics.com been monolithic. They are coalitions, fraud. (Tammany Hall and historic like in a parliamentary system. Often urban incumbent party specific fraud Brian A. Howey, Publisher the party issue positions even reverse was not undetected on election days Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington over time. by media, the opposing party, or the Generally, in a presidential general public.) Mary Lou Howey, Editor election year, the presidential candi- A key part of the checks and Susan E. Joiner, Editor date defines the party’s team. In the balances in preserving the integrity state, it is usually the governor or a of our system is the responsibility of Subscriptions senator. In a congressional district, political parties. Election day workers the congressman. In a city, the mayor. and also observers are the respon- HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 At the county level, it is most often HPI Weekly, $350 the combined grassroots connec- Lisa Hounchell, Account Manager tions of the local candidates plus (765) 452-3936 telephone the top of the ticket that year. (765) 452-3973 fax Campaigns with heavy advertising [email protected] – mayor, governor, and federal of- fices, but also increasingly the close Contact HPI legislative races – define the team’s [email protected] base vote but are augmented by a Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 strong local team. Donald Trump, on the sur- Washington: 202.256.5822 face, challenged the entire premise Business Office: 765.452.3936 of the team concept. He spelled team “imei.” He did come to realize © 2020, Howey Politics that if the Senate and the House Indiana. All rights reserved. were controlled by Democrats, impeachment and conviction were Photocopying, Internet forward- a constant threat. But in lambasting ing, faxing or reproducing in any and opposing in primaries non- form, whole or part, is a violation loyalists, the president’s concept of federal law without permission of team was still rooted in “imei.” sibility of each party. They deserve from the publisher. His personal obsession in Georgia everyone’s thanks because without that could cost the Republican Party them, a free system does not work. control of the Senate is but the latest The president was con- Jack E. Howey example. What should have been solid cerned about alleged fraud months editor emeritus run-off victories now need rescuing ago. Why was there not an emphasis 1926-2019 from his attacks on the integrity of the put on recruiting people – in time to system. get training, not last-minute panic – What is most relevant to fill these positions in areas about right now is Trump’s driving desire which they were concerned? If you to establish that he’s not a “loser.” have not focused on building your He deserved his day in court, as I’ve party, and don’t develop your own, written, but he had to prove, not al- why do you think you will win in lege, fraud. This obviously was a likely court when you were short of trained doomed effort because Biden’s Elec- observers? Page 3 The legal cases, for which millions of dollars were fires the Homeland Security administrator who claimed the spent, had minimal, if any, evidence. They presented as- election was honest, smears statewide and local elected sertions about what could theoretically happen, not facts Republican officials who have participated in trying to pro- about what did happen. The lawsuits turned the losing vide fair elections, and in general undermines confidence in candidate into the biggest loser we’ve had in modern our system of government. Trump also did the same thing times. Donald Trump lost the popular vote and the Elector- after the Iowa caucuses in 2016, in which he claimed Ted al College vote by significant margins. Then, asking for his Cruz stole it and the Iowa Republican Party was complicit. days (and weeks) in court, he received them in four states Moveon.org and leaders of BLM have repeatedly (Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia and Wisconsin, as well as attacked our legal system as untrustworthy. They attack dismissals in Nevada and Arizona). the fundamental structures of capitalism and the institu- For nearly two weeks, a man obsessed with not tions that support it. The far left views government as an being a loser has been pummeled with accurate stories untrustworthy swamp. Many Republicans are now peddling about losses in courts at every level in every state where the same swamp attacks. he contested something. His narrative of the election being As a nation, we have fought off extremist at- stolen, essentially alleging that the process was rigged, tacks from both ends. Some valid critiques are absorbed by has been rebuked over and over again, including by judges the impacted party. But it seems to me that this constant he appointed. There is no legal argument being presented battering of the structural fairness of the best system, that would overturn an election. People voted in the ways and most flexible, that the world has ever known is more they were allowed to vote. wobbly than in the past. Both parties can hopefully help It has become increasingly embarrassing as Trump stabilize it so we don’t descend into chaos. v now attacks the legal system, suggests that the Republi- can-controlled Department of Justice is part of the effort Souder is a former Republican congressman from to defeat him, continues to attempt to emasculate the FBI, Indiana.

up the GOP ladder, holding office in Vanderburgh County, Crouch, from page 1 then the Indiana House, becoming Indiana auditor before Mitch Daniels did in 2003 with quick exits by David McIn- Eric Holcomb tabbed her to fill out the ticket in late July tosh and Murray Clark (leaving just Eric Miller) isn’t likely 2016 after Gov. Mike Pence left to run for vice president. to happen. Crouch has been a significant partner to Gov. The potential 2024 field will likely find feelers from Holcomb from a policy standpoint (the lieutenant gover- Attorney General-elect Todd Rokita, Republican Chairman nor’s portfolio sprawls across the administration), as well Kyle Hupfer, U.S. Reps. Trey Hollingsworth and Jim Banks, as politically, donating $2.5 million to Holcomb’s campaign Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness, former state senator Jim coffers. Merritt, Health & Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Sen- Gov. Holcomb’s reelect began as the “Holcomb- ate President Pro Tem Rod Bray, Crouch” brand at the and, perhaps, even disgraced campaign’s 2019 kickoff Attorney General Curtis Hill. If at Knightstown, then went either U.S. Sen. Todd Young or MIA during this past fall’s Mike Braun decides to seek the TV ad campaign, before office, the former could clear it returned at the Election the field, the latter could self- Night celebration. A Hol- fund as he did in the 2018 U.S. comb endorsement at some Senate primary. Hollingsworth point heading into a 2024 is one of the richest members primary would be a signifi- in Congress and could also self- cant factor, though at this fund. point is not expected. Crouch begs off a clear For close to 45 signal she would enter the race, minutes, HPI conducted telling HPI in a Zoom inter- this interview with Lt. Gov. view on Nov. 23 that timing is Crouch: everything in politics. But a few HPI: What are minutes later, she observed that your next chapters here? both Govs. Orr and O’Bannon Indiana will have an open were from Ohio River towns. governor’s seat in 2024. Crouch is from Evans- Should I be putting your ville and has worked her way name on the list of poten- Page 4 tial candidates? that we’re experiencing at the state levels. That’s because Crouch: So much in politics is about timing. The of the foundation we’ve laid. So we’re going to continue next four years I’ll be focused on being the very best lieu- to focus on economic opportunity and also quality of life. tenant governor I can for the state of Indiana and a great What keeps me up at night and I know it keeps the gover- partner to Gov. Eric Holcomb. From a preparation stand- nor up at night because we talk about this, is the human point, having served in local government, in the legislative cost of this pandemic. Those people who are suffering branch and now in the executive branch of state govern- from mental illness or addiction or from abuse, suicides, ment, the preparation will be there. Timing is always the those people who need structure, who need resources, issue. I will certainly be prepared for political opportunities who need that stability in their lives. That group of people as they arise, but for right now, I’m focused to what I am are the ones who are going to feel the effects of this CO- supposed to be doing, which is lieutenant governor. The VID-19 and that is an impact we are starting to feel and rest will take care of itself. will continue feel. Not just as a state, but as local com- HPI: Do you have a munities and families. timeline in which you’ll decide We will be focused on your political future? how do we make sure Crouch: I am al- they get the resourc- ready zeroed in on my politi- es? How do we make cal future. sure that they have HPI: A generation the support they need ago, it was almost a foregone to come out of this conclusion that Lt. Gov. Orr pandemic whole and and Lt. Gov. O’Bannon were productive. going to be their party’s HPI: When the gubernatorial nominees at daily COVID statistics the end of Doc Bowen’s and come out, one thing Evan Bayh’s two terms. That I focus on is hospital- seemed to change with Lt. izations and the ICU Gov. Joe Kernan’s early exit bed and ventilator and then return to the 2004 capacities, because campaign. Since the era of Gov. Holcomb has the female LG that began in been saying since last 2003, that expected ascen- spring that the state sion has ended. You have must manage its way maintained an energetic through this pan- presence statewide. Has that demic. It seems we’re dynamic changed? heading into the worst of it, while in three or four months Crouch: The last two elected lieutenant governors we’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with now who went on to become elected governors were lieutenant three vaccines ready for emergency approval. What will be governors from southern Indiana towns that bordered the your focus on the pandemic and how it’s managed? Ohio River. History seems to repeat itself. Crouch: What we’ve been focused on within HPI: That’s pertinent perspective. So what’s the my agencies – and I oversee agriculture, housing, OCRA next year hold for you? (Office of Community & Rural Affairs), broadband and the Crouch: We’re totally focused and our No. 1 new Indiana Destination Development Corporation – is priority is coming out of this pandemic in a good position. how do we pivot and refocus our resources to be able Quite honestly, because of the past 16 years of fiscally to support the economy that will provide relief to those conservative leadership at the state level, our foundation communities challenged by COVID-19. We’ve done that is really strong and it has remained strong during COVID. through a number of programs, whether it’s housing in We have the best business environment in the Midwest, rental and mortgage assistance programs, whether it’s we have the No. 1 infrastructure in the nation, and in spite through OCRA which has provided tens of millions of of COVID, despite the business challenges of COVID, we CARES Act dollars, to federal block grant money to be have already created over 27,000 jobs here in the state of able to provide grants and loans to communities. We will Indiana in 2020, have exceeded the total number of jobs look to continually pivot, refocus our resources to provide in 2019 already, and we’re holding the average wage at that aid and assistance to local communities and Hoo- $28 an hour. In my conversations with our mayors around siers. From my standpoint, and I’ve talked to the governor the state, whether in Montpelier, Batesville, Terre Haute or about this, as I have spearheaded a number of initiatives Evansville, they all express that kind of economic vital- in the past, whether it was the Women’s Suffrage Centen- ity in their local communities; the same economic vitality nial Commission, the Census Commission, Civic Education Page 5

Task Force, I want to be able to focus some of my ener- already $79 million in grants to providers to expand broad- gies over the next year on mental health issues. How do band throughout rural Indiana, connecting about 27,000 we help Hoosiers who are struggling get the resources households and businesses. It is an extremely expensive needed to provide them the tools that they need to be endeavor. The reason these people are not connected is able to survive in this environment? that it’s very costly to provide that connection. Through HPI: I’ve covered the General Assembly going COVID, we have seen the importance of having broad- on four decades, and mental health keeps coming up, but band. It used to be considered a luxury. Now it’s essential the solutions and the fund- because broadband affects every ing never seem to be enough. life, workforce, health care, educa- What strides have been made tion, economic development and the first part of the Holcomb quality of life. With e-learning, with administration? Google Working, with telehealth, we Crouch: We have are seeing that Hoosiers need to be been named the No. 1 state connected to get that quality of life in the country for the adop- and that economic viability that their tion of foster children. That urban counterparts already have. It was a focus and will continue is going to continue to be a priority, to remain a focus. Our infant not just in this administration, but in mortality rates are declining the General Assembly. Now having and Gov. Holcomb said that said that, we have invested $100 by the end of 2024, we want million, spent $79 million so far and Indiana to be the best in the have connected 27,000 households. Midwest in terms of infant mor- When Purdue did their study in tality rates. So we’ll continue 2018, they indicated 500,000 Hoo- to stay focused in that area. siers needed to be connected. We also understand and realize HPI: So how much more when it comes to mental health will be needed? resources, what we are lacking Crouch: There have are providers and personnel been estimates of between $2 billion to provide care for those who and $3 billion to connect throughout are challenged or suffering. Indiana. It’s an extremely expensive We’ll be working with FSSA to proposition. We will continue to explore how to attract more invest but we will need our federal practictioners in those indus- partners because much like rural tries, whether they be psychia- electrification in the 1930s, when trists, therapists, or workers in the federal government said every the mental health community. How can we attract more American deserves electricity, I believe, personally, the individuals to that particular health care? How do we make same level of priority is going to have to be made at the sure we have the resources, because we are lacking them federal level to get Hoosiers that last mile. at this particular point in time? HPI: On the agriculture front we’ve seen every- HPI: The governor has also proposed $100 mil- thing from President Trump’s tariff war with China, to bad lion for broadband expansion. With schools going vir- weather and wild swings in commodity prices. What will tual during this pandemic, that has exposed this gaping be your priority there? shortfall, as Speaker Huston noted in his opening speech Crouch: One of the things we discovered through last month. What’s been your role on that front? And how COVID-19 is it’s extremely important to have our food much more money will be needed to get broadband into chain supply operating so there are no disruptions. With those last miles? COVID, we saw some disruptions within the food supply Crouch: Back in 2018 we created the director of chain with our meat processing plants, two of them in par- broadband opportunities with the lieutenant governor’s ticular in Delphi and Logansport. What came about as the office. We’ve been elevating that to an agency level posi- result of that is we have a lot of independent processors tion. Scott Rudd has been heading up that effort for us, so here in the state who want to grow their capacity. Early we have that single point of contact for not just providers, on, we allocated $1 million in CARES Act money to provide but communities to make those connections. At the end of assistance to those independent meat processing plants 2018, Gov. Holcomb announced the Next Level Broadband and companies that experienced challenges and costs due Connections Initiative that put $100 million into broad- to COVID-19 to keep them viable. Over the next couple band projects throughout Indiana. OCRA is the agency of years we’ll be considering how to grow that sector so that administers that grant program. We have deployed that we don’t get in a situation like other states that had Page 6 to euthanize hogs because of disruption in the food supply under Elaine Bedel is working on that timing. chain. We don’t want to ever be in that position here. We HPI: Talk about the light at the end of the pan- will look to grow those independent processors so that we demic tunnel. This has been a scary and excruciatingly can continue to have a food supply chain that survives any intense year that has disrupted many lives, families, busi- kind of epidemic, pandemic or disruption in the future. nesses, securities and traditions. Do you see things getting HPI: Congress came up with the CARES Act worse before that vaccine is widely available in three to money and stimulus relief money early. Does Congress or four months? either the Trump or Biden administration need to follow up Crouch: Gov. Holcomb has provided incredible quickly? leadership during this pandemic. You can’t make everyone Crouch: The real concern that I experience happy no matter what you do. But his No. 1 priority is to through my agencies is the struggling of small, rural com- keep Hoosiers safe and to protect their health and welfare. munities and their main streets which they worked so hard Gov. Holcomb has done a tremendous job on that. There to revitalize over the last 10 years. Help for our small busi- is now light at the end of that tunnel. When exactly does nesses would be well received; 75% of all jobs created in that happen? We don’t know. As I am around the state, Indiana come through small businesses. We want to be sure those companies that are providing a few jobs here and a few jobs here, 50 jobs here, continue to be able to survive and prosper. HPI: The other major part of your portfolio is tourism, where there’s been a restruc- turing. The pandemic has hit tourism hard. The Brown County Music Center that was just getting started when the pandemic hit is an example, as well as The Barns in Nappanee. What will be your focus there? Crouch: Ten million dollars in CARES Act money was dedicated to awarding grants to festivals, events that really add to quality of life and economic opportunity across the state. We see it in apple festivals in Linton and Bloomfield. We want to make sure the Blueberry Festival … HPI: In Plymouth, right? Crouch: Yes. We have 650 festivals throughout Indiana that add so much to who we are and I see people living with it for so long now it just becomes our quality of life. Those grants will help those venues common. People are starting to let their guard down and to survive. That was the most immediate thing we did. it’s so critically important we don’t do that. What we go The new Indiana Destination Development Corporation through at the end of the tunnel depends on how safe was created to transition tourism into the bigger picture people are during this holiday season. If they do what of economic development. Economic development is not is recommended, keeping gatherings small and to their just about creating jobs; it’s about the quality of life that immediate families, we should be all right. Is it going community and those jobs have to offer. These genera- to get worse before it gets better? I hope not. Is there tions want to know about the quality of life and so the that possibility? Yes, there is, realistically. Gov. Holcomb purpose of the IDDC is to tell that story of Indiana so that watches those touch points, in terms of ICU beds, ventila- we can attract not just visitors, but also talent and busi- tors, positivity rates. What we don’t want is to become ness, and retain college students so they can continue to overwhelmed. I have seen hospitals in my hometown of grow our state. Before COVID-19 we were on a fast track Evansville diverting patients. That’s frightening. We’ve to rebranding Indiana to reach all of those groups. That is come so far; we don’t have that much further to go and still in the works, but it has been slowed down because we so we’ve just got to keep at it over the next few months. want to ensure we come out of this pandemic at the right Will we get back to normal? Well, what’s the new normal? time with the right message. Currently we are working I do believe a crisis is an opportunity to change and an with the Hoosier Hospitality Promise to instill confidence opportunity for improvement. I do believe many of the not just in establishments, but also to educate the con- things we’re currently doing we should carry on with to sumer on which establishments are following the CDC and end up with a healthier population. I don’t think we’ll have state guidelines to provide a safe environment for those as many meetings because we’ve found we can do it more visitors. We want to encourage Hoosiers to go out, spend efficiently and effectively by Zoom. We’ll look at how our money and do it safely. There’s that balance on when is cities are going to be different, how our rural areas are go- it safe to go out and when is it important to go out. IDDC ing to be different. v Page 7

campaign … (Pence) would put any personal ambitions aside to help the president. He holds these things lightly 2024 prospects for because he knows it’s either a calling for him or it’s not. He’ll spend a lot of time being out there with members Trump & Pence when they need to raise money and helping conservative pro-Trump candidates be successful in their races.” By BRIAN A. HOWEY Pence is expected to move back to Indiana, INDIANAPOLIS – Whether it was North Side Gym write a book and give paid speeches for the next couple in Elkhart or the Southport Fieldhouse, or packing Evans- of years. Trump faces an array of post-White House chal- ville’s Ford Center with 11,000 supporters in September lenges, including tax fraud investigations from New York 2018, President Trump was at the spearhead of a populist state (which can’t be vanquished if Trump tries to pardon movement. His MAGA ral- himself), to hundreds of millions of personal loans coming lies filled Indiana’s basketball due in the next four years, to health concerns (he’ll be 78 palaces, with thousands who in 2024). Trump will remain in the headlines, but how his couldn’t get in standing outside. political legacy fares is anyone’s guess. In contrast, at a solo Oct. Trump finally said on Thanksgiving Day he will 22 campaign rally at Fort Wayne leave office on Jan. 20 after months of injecting doubt. International Airport, Vice Presi- “Certainly I will. Certainly I will. And you know that,” he dent Mike Pence drew a very, said after he was asked if he will leave office on Jan. 20 very modest 400 supporters. when President-elect Biden is scheduled to be inaugurat- Both Trump and Pence ed. “But I think that there will be a lot of things happen- lost the Nov. 3 election, with ing between now and the 20th of January. A lot of things. Democrat Joe Biden polling Massive fraud has been found. We’re like a third world more than 80 million votes in a country.” 51%-47% victory. Yet 74 million Trump is now what he has long despised, a loser. voted for Trump despite the pandemic and the ensuing Not only just a loser, but a poor loser, which in the past economic meltdown. Within hours of his loss, Trump was has not impressed most Hoosiers. He pouted for three telling friends he is considering a comeback in 2024, just weeks before signing off on the transition to President- as he kicked off his reelection bid just days after his 2016 upset victory over Hillary Clinton. Conventional wisdom had it that if Trump lost, somehow, some way it would be Pence who would become the frontrunner. Yet other recent veep losers (Walter Mondale in 1980 and Dan Quayle in 1992) weren’t able to make this comeback. Pence is now chained to however the Trump legacy bears out. A Politico/Morning Consult Poll re- leased this past week had Trump leading Pence 53%- 12% in a hypothetical 2024 primary matchup, with Donald Trump Jr. at 8%. Other GOP rising stars such as Nikki Haley and Tom Cotton barely registered. “The wild card in all of this will be the plans and whims of Donald J. Trump,” Craig Dunn observed in his HPI column after the election. “He might decide to make another run in a bid for redemption or weigh in on behalf of one of his children or one of his loyalists. Make no mistake about it, President Trump will happily throw Mike Pence under a bus and label him elect Joe Biden. The conservative National Review edito- a loser if it suits his purpose. He has done the same to rial board called Trump’s behavior “disgraceful,” adding, a litany of qualified and good men and women and Mike “Almost nothing that the Trump team has alleged has Pence should not expect any different treatment. withstood the slightest scrutiny. In particular, it’s hard to “President Trump, like him or not, is a death star find much that is remotely true in the president’s Twit- and tends to destroy anything that enters his orbit,” Dunn ter feed these days. It is full of already-debunked claims added. and crackpot conspiracy theories about Dominion voting Club For Growth President David McIntosh, a close systems.” friend of Pence, told Politico before the election, “If Presi- That, in Hoosier parlance, is BS. There are no dent Trump is not reelected and decides to mount that reliable reports or metrics that indicate this was a “rigged” Page 8 election. Ask Connie Lawson. Yet Trump has injected an el- who sought comebacks after failing at reelection, with two ement of a illegitimate Biden presidency, particularly within of them involving Hoosiers. President Martin Van Buren the Republican Party. lost to William Henry Harrison in 1840, and made an un- Asked if he would attend the Biden inaugura- successful attempt as the Free Soil Party nominee in 1848. tion, Trump said, “I don’t want to say that yet, I mean I President Grover Cleveland lost to Benjamin Harrison in know the answer, I know the answer. I’ll be honest, I know 1888, then recaptured the White House in 1892 (Harrison the answer, I just don’t want to say it yet.” never won the popular vote, either). The other significant issue with Trump’s farewell In 1912, former President Theodore Roosevelt (for now) bookend is the damage he has done to the elec- attempted a revival against his hand-picked successor tion process, which had been the cornerstone of American (President William Howard Taft) and lost as the Bull Moose democracy. A post-election YouGov Poll revealed that 70% Party nominee to Democrat Woodrow Wilson in the only of Republicans do not believe the presidential election was race featuring three presidents. “free and fair.” A reelection of the Trump/Pence team would The danger for the Republican Party is that while have given Pence a significant leg up on the 2024 cam- Trump drew that royal flush in 2016 to win, the fact is that paign. he lost the popular vote twice, with Joe Biden doubling Now Pence faces his “Plan B” or “Plan C” in either the margin in this past election. Combined with Al Gore’s a crowded GOP presidential field where he’ll have to de- 2000 loss to George W. Bush despite winning the popular fend his presiding over the Trump administration’s disas- vote, you’d have to go back to 2004 to find a Republican trous pandemic response, or play second fiddle to Trump (George W. Bush) who won both the popular vote in the himself. v Electoral College. Republicans have only won the popular vote in two of the last nine elections. The columnist is publisher of Howey Politics Indi- There have been three other former presidents ana at www.howeypolitics.com.

paign mantra of Howard Dean and the diligent direction Indiana Democrats of Obama campaign manager David Axelrod. Indiana performed politically like a state that had just produced a former national chair in Joe Andrew and one that had a need a brand makeover Democratic senator in Evan Bayh. It performed like a state By DAVE KITCHELL where a major city, South Bend, had produced names such LOGANSPORT – As Indiana Democrats begin their as Brademas, Roemer and Donnelly. search for a new state chair, Exhibit A for a new direction As Democrats search for that singular influence to comes in the form of Vigo County. live, eat and breathe the party’s fortunes for the next four For the first time in more than 60 years, the coun- years, it’s poignant to think of a Hoosier composer who ty that had picked every president penned a great song that applies to this discussion. Hoagy – and all but three since 1888 – Carmichael may have written “Stardust” in a music store in went the wrong way. The county Bloomington, but he also wrote “Georgia on My Mind.” may have a Democratic coroner, It was the signature song for Jimmy Carter but voters chose the Republican when he ran and won the presidency, and given the red- nominee for president instead. to-blue status Georgia had in the recent election and the That county’s political pending dual Senate run-off races, it’s worth noting that prescience has endured genera- Indiana could be much like Georgia in the next eight years. tions of voters long before Tommy With Democrats winning the popular vote for the seventh John or Larry Bird made names time in eight presidential elections, the trend nationwide for themselves within the Vigo is blue. While Republicans have become more popular borders, or before Steve Martin with non-college educated Americans, more Americans are made reference to the city in the earning degrees. Urban women are trending in the blue black-and-white retro comedy direction, witness the Democratic mayoralship in Zionsville “Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid.” last year. Had Democrats focused on Indiana voters the way It’s a given that the Democratic brand in Indiana other states have, the Vigo streak might still be alive. needs a makeover. The question becomes who will style it But Hoosiers have become too predictable and whether they can find the person in Indiana as com- in their voting patterns, particularly in presidential elec- mitted as Stacy Abrams has been in Georgia. tions. When Barack Obama won the state in 2008, along What once was the Solid South for the Democratic with every other state with a Big Ten university, Indiana Party nationwide could also be said of southern Indiana. was already trending purple thanks to the 50-state cam- For more than 30 years, it was the dominion of Lee Hamil- Page 9 ton, and it produced the last two-term Democratic gover- and Richmond. nor, the late Frank O’Bannon. That’s part of the discussion For now, the harsh reality of legislative maps that Democrats have to have soon, and as much as Dean had a won’t favor the party are in the offing in the coming year. 50-state strategy for winning elections, Indiana Democrats And the people who ask how Democrats can regain a com- need a 92-county strategy for winning their first statewide petitive seat at the table in state politics will be met with a race since Joe Donnelly’s Senate race in 2012. Hoosier phrase that applies to the moment: “You can’t get There are names out there for potential candi- there from here.” v dacies. Certainly Evan Bayh’s name will be mentioned, as will Tom McDermott’s. But there are plenty more in cities Kitchell is the former Democratic mayor of Lo- that aren’t traditional Democratic strongholds like Goshen gansport. He teaches at John Glenn HS.

control of more state legislative chambers for the redis- GOP prospects for tricting now after the 2020 Census. Instead, they failed everywhere in the quest for more state legislative control. They cling now to hope of winning two tough run-off races 2022 look promising in Georgia to bring a tie that Kamala Harris could break as By JACK COLWELL vice president. SOUTH BEND – Looking ahead after what just The Democratic brand wasn’t selling. Why? That’s happened – with President Donald Trump and the Demo- the subject of a Democratic finger-pointing debate. Was it cratic brand the big losers – election prospects are bright because campaign rhetoric of some party progressives left for Republicans in 2022. Democratic candidates in competitive areas vulnerable to A diminished Democratic Republican claims that they would “defund the police” and House majority, solidified Republi- bring socialism? Or was it because party moderates didn’t can control of redistricting and the stress big programs and change and didn’t punch back history of midterm elections point hard enough at Trump and the Republican brand? to Republicans gaining control of Whatever the cause, the effect is clear. While the House of Representatives in Biden won in the key battleground states and added 2022. Arizona and Georgia to his decisive Electoral College total, President-elect Joe Biden Democrats down the ballot suffered a disaster that will in was of course the big winner this some ways last a decade. time. His personal appeal con- Here’s why Republicans have a good chance to trasted effectively with the unap- win back the House in 2022. With a slimmed-down Demo- pealing but politically formidable cratic majority, around a dozen seats as a few contests Trump. Biden might have been remain in doubt, the usual losses by the president’s party the only Democratic presidential aspirant who could have in midterm elections could bring Republicans control. The defeated Trump, just as Hillary Clinton might have been narrow margin is more precarious because Republicans the only Democratic aspirant who could have lost to Trump solidified control of state legislatures. So, Republicans will in 2016. draw districts to be used for a decade, until after the 2030 Now, Biden inherits a troubled nation, with a Census. They will be able immediately to pick off some worsening pandemic, an economy suffering COVID-caused Democrats with the new maps. disruptions and a divisive split. His calls for unity are re- In midterm elections since World War II, the party jected by Trump and a multitude of Trump voters decrying of a sitting president lost an average of 26 House seats. and disputing the election results. In 2018, Republicans lost 39 seats two years after Trump’s The Democratic brand was a big loser. And election. In 2010, Democrats lost 63 seats while President that is another serious problem for Biden, even though his Barack Obama was in the White House. personal brand prevailed. Democrats envisioned a big blue One reason for midterm losses is that voters grow wave, sweeping away Trump and lots of his Republican dissatisfied with what a president’s party has accom- supporters along with him. They were confident of defeat- plished, usually not what supporters hoped for. If Repub- ing politically vulnerable incumbent Republicans to gain licans keep control of the Senate now, Biden’s chances control of the Senate. Instead, they lost most of those for accomplishments dwindle. And chances of continuing races. House control could dwindle as well. The situation would Democrats were positive they would increase their be far different if the Democratic brand had sold. House majority. Instead, Republicans made significant There was a Biden wave. He won with a record 80 gains, leaving Democrats with a slim margin of around million votes and the second highest vote percentage mar- a dozen seats. Tired of Republican-controlled gerryman- gin out of the six presidential elections in the 21st Century. dering in so many states, they concentrated on winning Down-ballot, the color of the wave certainly wasn’t blue.v Page 10

no. They say we have to keep on wearing those masks. We have to keep our interactions to a minimum, and we Americans must be need to avoid those large crowds for at least a few more months. cautious as pandemic No one is happy about this. The pandemic has disrupted nearly every aspect of our lives. It has upended the comes to an end way we celebrate. And the way we mourn. Nine months into this pandemic, almost everyone knows at least one By KELLY HAWES person who has been infected by the virus. As I write this CNHI Indiana column, one friend awaits the results of a test while fight- ANDERSON – I heard a guy talking on the phone ing symptoms that seem an awful lot like the coronavirus. the other day about the ongoing pandemic. “I think we’ve Another lies hooked up to a ventilator, fighting for his life. grown so afraid of dying,” he said, “that we’ve forgotten Many of us have gotten through this crisis with how to live.” relatively minor interruptions. We still have our livelihoods He’s wrong about that. and our health, and we’ll emerge from the experience little The problem with our nation’s worse for the wear. Others have been left without a job. reaction to the coronavirus is Some find themselves without food on the table or a place not that we’ve taken the threat to live. Suffice it to say this pandemic will leave lasting too seriously, that we’ve done scars. Some have seen their lives forever changed. too much to protect ourselves The good news, though, is that relief is on the and our loved ones. It’s that we horizon. Public health officials say we could begin seeing haven’t taken it seriously enough. vaccinations by the middle of December. Not for everyone, Way too many of us have ignored of course. They’ll go first to the medical professionals, the the health warnings and gone front-line workers and vulnerable populations. But avail- about our lives as if there was no ability of the vaccines will gradually spread to the broader threat. public, and by spring, if enough people are vaccinated, People survive the flu every year, these folks say. things might actually be approaching normal. We shouldn’t turn our lives upside down for a virus that In spite of our differing outlooks on the pandemic, kills only a small fraction of its victims. But the toll keeps we can all look forward to that. v rising. Every day, it seems, the United States sets a new Kelly Hawes is a columnist for CNHI News Indiana. record for the number of patients hospitalized with CO- He can be reached at kelly.hawes@indianamedia- VID-19. Deaths are adding up at a rate of more than 2,000 group.com. Find him on Twitter @Kelly_Hawes. a day, and public health experts fear that number could reach 3,000 by the end of the year. Think about that. By the end of the year, the coronavirus could be claiming the same number of American lives every day as were claimed by the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The virus has already killed more than 260,000 Americans, and experts say the toll could reach 300,000 by the end of the year. The number of new cases record- ed is approaching 175,000 a day. And like that guy on the phone, people are ready to be done with it. They’re tired of the masks and the social distancing. They’re tired of the Zoom meetings and the working from home. They want to go back to the way things used to be. They want to stand in a crowded arena and cheer for their favorite basketball team. They want to watch a band perform at their favorite bar or actually walk into a crowded restaurant for a nice meal. But the public health experts say Page 11

10. Dr. Woody Myers 11. Republican Chairman Kyle Hupfer 2021 HPI Power 50 List 12. ISTA President Keith Gambill 13. Mike Schmuhl will face drastic change 14. Marc Short By BRIAN A. HOWEY 15. HHS Sec. Alex Azar and CMS Director Seema Verma INDIANAPOLIS – When the 2020 HPI Power 50 16. Attorney General Curtis Hill List was published on Jan. 7, the COVID-19 pandemic was 17. Commerce Sec. Jim Schellinger just beginning to create a stir in China. Vice President 18. U.S. Rep. Jim Banks Pence was at the apex of his power. Health Commissioner 19. Indiana Treasurer Kelly Mitchell Kristina Box was cited for 20. Christina Hale her coming contributions to 21. Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. the “story of our lifetime” 22. FSSA Sec. Jennifer Sullivan and IDOH Commissioner (the opioid crisis). South Kris Box Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg 23. INDOT Commissioner Joe McGuinness was an out-sized presiden- 24. Chief Justice Loretta Rush tial dreamer. 25. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett Come January, Indiana 26. Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry will have two new mem- 27. Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke bers of Congress (1st CD 28. Democratic Chairman John Zody Democrat Frank Mrvan and 29. Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett 5th CD Republican Victoria 30. U.S. Rep. Andre Carson Spartz). 31. U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski This will be a biennial 32. Drug Czar Douglas Huntsinger budget and reapportionment year in the General Assem- 33. Purdue President Mitch Daniels bly, so Dr. Tim Brown and Chairman Timothy Wesco will 34. IU President IU President Michael McRobbie rise on the 2020 list. 35. USDA Under Sec. Ted McKinney There will be new gubernatorial contenders, at 36. Surgeon General Jerome Adams least one new state party chair. Will there be a Libertarian 37. Ways & Means Chairman Tim Brown to crack the list for the first time since 38. Bill and Ann Moreau we began this publishing exercise in 39. RNC Committeeman 1999, now that gubernatorial nominee John Hammond Donald Rainwater made it into double 40. Chamber President digits in the Nov. 3, election. Kevin Brinegar The HPI Power 50 list is 41. IMA President Brian designed to illustrate who stands to Burton make the greatest impacts in the 42. Marty Obst coming year. We invite our readers to 43. U.S. Rep. Greg Pence make nominations or complete your 44. U.S. Rep. Larry Buc - own full list. shon This year’s list will be pub- 45. State Sen. Jeff Raatz lished in the Jan. 7, 2021, edition of and State Rep. Howey Politics Indiana Robert Behning Here is our 2020 HPI Power 46. Kurt and Kristin Luid- 50 list: hardt 47. U.S. Rep. Pete Vis- 1. Vice President Mike Pence closky 2. Gov. Eric Holcomb 48. U.S. Rep. Susan 3. Pete Buttigieg Brooks 4. U.S. Sen. Todd Young 49. Earl Goode 5. U.S. Sen. Mike Braun 50. Joe Donnelly 6. Senate President Pro Tem Rod Bray v 7. Secretary of State Connie Lawson 8. Speakers Brian Bosma and Todd Huston 9. Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch Page 12

Again, it would be wise to review the spending priorities to poor places. But, taxpayers in rich cities also Regional divergence tax themselves more heavily than do smaller cities and rural places. To ask them to fork over even more money and local taxes to places unwilling to raise their own revenues seems to By MICHAEL HICKS me like a political dead end. MUNCIE – In the century after the Civil War, the The second, bigger problem confronting the USA went through a long period of regional convergence. idea of a domestic Marshall Plan is that what ails cities This simply means that as our standard of living grew, and rural places has almost nothing to do with private poorer places generally grew faster than richer places. sector capital investment. The problem is more fundamen- This caused states and cities to “converge” towards one tal. Declining cities and struggling rural places almost al- another at a time when our overall standard of living grew ways have two overwhelming problems: Their educational more than five-fold. By the 1970s attainment is too low to attract the types of jobs that will the trend of convergence slowed grow in the 21st Century, and the quality of their public appreciably, and by the 1990s services is too low to attract new households. reversed. Over the past three or so This is a tough thing for most people to hear decades, rich places have grown about their community, yet it is inevitably true. As an ex- more quickly, while poor places ercise, I have my undergraduate students build a predic- grew more slowly. tive algorithm of a county’s population growth using only Population flows exac- educational attainment. They can do so with about 90% erbate these trends. Rich places accuracy, and that gets at the heart of why the nation is tend to attract more people, while experiencing regional divergence. Educational attainment poorer places shed them. This is the strongest causal factor in regional economic growth. results in some stark geographic A century ago, workers enjoyed a wage premium anomalies. For example, Colum- by moving to a city with good transportation networks bus, Ohio, has captured 130% of Ohio’s population growth and a cheap energy source. Those factors dictated the in the 21st Century, while Indianapolis captured 120% of strength of cities. Today, educated workers enjoy a wage all Indiana’s job growth. In recent decades, nearly all large premium by working closely with other educated work- urban places thrived, while smaller cities and rural places ers. In the 21st Century economy, education and skills mostly stagnated. have replaced electricity, railroads and canals as the prime Unsurprisingly, decades of these patterns cause contributors of city growth. unease and even resentment among many residents. There is a small chance that federal place-based There are several good studies tying this divergence to economic policies can help smaller cities and rural places growing political discontent. do better, but it is no more than a small chance. Federal Just last week, mayors of seven Midwestern cities spending might improve roads or sewage systems, extend called for a domestic Marshall Plan to invest in their cities. broadband or help subsidize more reliable electricity. All of They invoked the memory of America’s large commitment these are helpful, but they aren’t the keys to revitalizing a to rebuilding Europe after World War II. Rust Belt city or aging factory town. Their argument focused mostly on federal The real policy challenges remain at the state and investment in clean energy technologies and urban infra- local level. The federal government isn’t going to address structure as a means for revitalizing cities. Unfortunately, the fundamental weaknesses that keep some places poor the gist of this argument is that such investments would while others thrive. Moreover, most people wouldn’t want boost primarily factory and construction employment. them to. The building blocks to better educational attain- While I think it is time to have a frank discussion about ment happen in school board meetings and in statehouse place-based economic policies, this particular argument votes, not in Congress. Places that do well recognize this, has two fatal weaknesses. and places that do not will continue to lose population and First, the federal government heavily subsidizes relevance. That leads me to my final point. poor places and people already. Federal tax dollars are Recall that more affluent cities typically tax disproportionally collected in affluent cities and distributed themselves more heavily than other places. There’s a disproportionally to poor places. While most of those tax reason for this, and it reinforces the divergence between dollars flow to individuals, not local governments, the no- rich and poor places. Over time, household preferences tion that poor cities and rural areas are not getting their change, and in recent decades school quality and neigh- share of government spending is simply false. borhood amenities have become more attractive. These It is the other way around. Rich places receive far attributes seem especially attractive to mobile households fewer tax dollars per person from federal taxes than do with educated workers and children, in short, the type of poor places. Moreover, within states, rich counties subsi- families that communities wish to attract. They also cost dize poor counties through state tax systems. money. Page 13

The implication is that places that tax themselves time has long since passed. The economic forces that led more heavily to provide better schools and neighborhoods to that change show no signs of abating, and successful will capture most of the population growth. These are cities have already figured that out.v state and municipal governments who seek to compete for people on the basis of value. In contrast, many state and Michael J. Hicks, PhD, is the director of the Cen- municipal governments focus more heavily on lower tax ter for Business and Economic Research and the rates. These communities compete on price, not value. George and Frances Ball distinguished professor of There may have been a time when being a economics in the Miller College of Business at Ball low-price community was a successful strategy, but that State University.

the Geography Division of the Census Bureau. Townships no longer encompass the 35,800-plus square miles of our Stay calm by 92 counties. In the future, a comprehensive report of geographic detail in Boone and Delaware counties will have considering townships to include the names Muncie, Whitestown, Yorktown, and By MORTON J. MARCUS Zionsville where once actual township names were used. INDIANAPOLIS – Readers have petitioned for Do you care? If not, some of your neighbors will columns that ignore our dysfunctional politics, disrupted label you as ANTI-TOWNSHIP, one who would destroy economy, and medical calamity. I am compelled to com- the intent of the Continental Congress which bequeathed ply. What could be more neutral, townships unto us in the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. more emotionally void, and more You will have allies. The existence of townships, sleep-inducing than a focus on these revolutionaries claim, has been brought into ques- Indiana’s townships? tion by 20th Century technology including autos, trucks, In truth, I must alert you radio, TV, internet and other manifestations of modernity. to the fact we have lost three Have these disruptive persons ever examined the townships since the 2010 Census. list of township names and contemplated their signifi- Their departure was not widely cance. Precisely 46, one half of our 92 counties, have a broadcast beyond the borders of Washington Township. These nay-sayers to history prob- their two counties, Boone and ably don’t care about the mystery of Aubbeenaubbee Delaware. No sympathy cards are Township in northwest Fulton County. expected. Nor have the ANTIs pondered the size and density In Boone County, as of population in our townships. Yes, they had superstars you might have heard, has seen Joe Kernan and Randy Shepard issuing a report in 2007 considerable growth. Whitestown and Zionsville engaged that might have eliminated townships. But you can con- in very suburban competition for present and future tax sider the issue anew in future restful columns right here. base. This is what passes for foresight in suburbs. In the v process Eagle and Union Townships were absorbed. In Delaware County, Yorktown sought greater Mr. Marcus is an economist. Reach him at mortonj- recognition as an alternative to Muncie and to secure part [email protected]. Follow his views and those of of I-69 with whatever future benefits might be expected John Guy on “Who gets what?” wherever podcasts there. This was achieved by allowing Muncie to retain are available or at mortonjohn.libsyn.com. its small portion of Mount Pleasant Township, with the rest renamed for the site of Washington’s victory over Cornwallis (Yorktown). Hence, whereas previously compulsive Hoosiers might have memo- rized the names of Indiana’s 1,008 townships, they now have a mere 1,005 to com- mit to memory. But it does present a minor issue for Page 14 Michael Gerson, Washington Post: Is there should overrule a Southern Indiana U.S. District Court always so much sobbing at Democratic victory parties? decision that would allow both parents in a same-sex mar- For the first time in my adult life, I publicly endorsed a riage to be listed on their child’s birth certificate. The case Democratic presidential candidate. He won in a convincing began when a Tippecanoe County couple — two women — fashion. But now, my new comrades, after an initial burst found that Indiana’s software system wouldn’t allow both of celebration, are in a deep funk. The reason? While the their names to be listed when their child was born. Judges country shifted away from Trump, it did not turn against in Indiana’s federal Southern District Court found that the GOP. And the GOP has not turned against denying both parents in a same-sex marriage the Trumpism. To the contrary, the Republican loser right to be listed on birth certificates was discrimi- has convinced some 70 percent of Republicans natory. The U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals af- that he was cheated out of a victory. Expected firmed that lower-court decision. Those courts and Democratic gains in Congress did not material- judges were following precedent. In 2017, the U.S. ize. And large increases in Democratic turnout Supreme Court ruled that the constitutional rights were nearly matched by Trump reinforcements — 10 of an Arkansas same-sex couple were violated because million more voters than he had in 2016 — that seemed they both couldn’t be listed on their child’s birth certificate. to emerge from thin air. “Figuring out how Trump won This clear precedent didn’t deter Indiana Attorney Gen- an additional 10 million votes,” argues my Post colleague eral Grinch — er, Hill — from springing into action. That’s E.J. Dionne Jr., “is one of the most important questions because a couple of strange notions animate his peculiar in politics.” His theory? “Given Trump’s intemperate and brand of conservatism. v often wild ranting in the campaign’s final weeks and the growing public role in GOP politics of QAnon conspiracists, Brad Rateike, IBJ: When you recover from a case the Proud Boys and other previously marginal extrem- of political exhaustion, you might consider watching “The ist groups, these voters may well be more radical than Candidate,” the 1972 film starring Robert Redford as the the party as a whole.” The facts do not refute Republican son of a fictional California governor who runs for the U.S. blame, but they do complicate it. Complication No. 1: Senate. The movie is decent, but it is not as iconic (or life According to the 2020 exit polls, 35 percent of voters said changing) as “The Sting” or “Butch Cassidy and the Sun- that the economy was their most important issue. Of this dance Kid,” so, please forgive me while I spoil the ending. group, the overwhelming majority — 83 percent — voted In the final scene of “The Candidate,” Redford’s character, for Trump. Complication No. 2: Trump did modify his after winning an upset election against the incumbent, 2020 message in a significant way. Except for absurdly asks his campaign manager, “What do we do now?” Before claiming that his border wall was near completion, he did the question is even acknowledged, a crowd of reporters not focus on immigration as he had previously. During the and supporters burst into the room and whisks Redford 2016 presidential election and the 2018 midterms, Trump’s away to begin his new endeavor. Seconds later, credits roll. final appeal was to stop an imaginary flood of Hispanic Over the past few weeks, there have surely been more drug dealers, gang members and rapists from entering the than a handful of “what do we do now?” conversations country. In 2020, Trump’s main appeal was fighting social- with new and recently reelected candidates. The easy ism and maintaining law and order. Complication No. 3: answer to Redford’s question should be, simply this: Brand Some of the most respected voices in Democratic politics yourself. On election night 2020, there were plenty of have located significant image and policy problems on the Indiana campaigns prepared with spin for why they did not Democratic side. House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn win. Some Indiana Republicans were prepared to say that (S.C.) has warned that Democrats lose electoral momen- President Trump was going to underperform and potential- tum when they are associated with issues such as social- ly “tank” the down ballot races (5th Congressional District, ized medicine and defunding police departments. Calls to Senate and House races). The strong Indiana GOP results defund the police, he argues, have the possibility of “doing made this argument largely moot. Indiana Democrats had to the Black Lives Matter movement and current move- a difficult night and have (privately, and in some cases ments across the country what ‘Burn, baby, burn’ did to us publicly) placed blame on the poor performance of their back in 1960s. We lost that movement over that slogan.” gubernatorial candidate and his lack of electoral coattails v as reason for their own statewide anemic performance. This may be legit. Bbut I also think that few of these John Krull, Statehouse File: Maybe disgraced campaigns felt an obligation or a sense of urgency to es- Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill has a new career plan. tablish their own identities as part of their campaigns. Pro Perhaps he’s heard somewhere that there are casting calls tip: Define what you stand for. Just like in business, if you for a new version of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” do not define yourself, your competitors will define you. That might account for Hill’s mean-spirited attempt, on And that is why you need to know the difference between his way out the door, to bust up families, deny parents “press” and “communications” strategies. A press strategy their children and children their parents. A few days ago, announces the story; the communications strategy shapes Hill submitted a brief arguing that the U.S. Supreme Court and amplifies the story..v Page 15

occurring over the past several days. Coalition forms for Indiana hospitals were treating 3,401 Violence plagues COVID-19 patients as of Sunday — redistrict reforms about a 350% increase since late Miami prison September when Gov. Eric Holcomb INDIANAPOLIS — A coalition BUNKER HILL– The Miami lifted nearly all business and crowd of activist groups announced a new Correctional Facility is getting more size restrictions before reinstating push Monday against what it called dangerous (Harper, Indiana Public some limits in mid-November. partisan gerrymandering by Indiana’s Media). As Side Effects previously Republican-dominated Legislature reported, former employees said the (AP). Coalition leaders said they would Vanderburgh sets Indiana men’s prison is out of control. form a citizens commission that will new COVID record Housing units are so short-staffed hold virtual town hall meetings in that officers can’t quickly respond to January and February and propose EVANSVILLE — Vanderburgh emergencies like stabbings, let alone new voting districts to the General County set a new one-day record for prevent such violence from occurring. Assembly before lawmakers approve COVID-19 cases Monday with 266, Data from the Miami County Central new congressional and with one death reported. It Dispatch reinforce that image. Ambu- legislative district maps shatters the previous record lance and helicopter runs to the facil- next year using 2020 of 210 cases, set just one ity have more than tripled since 2015. census information. Those week ago (Evansville Cou- Though 2020 is not over, the number advocating for a revamp rier & Press). The new data, of incidents at the facility has already of Indiana’s redistricting found on the Indiana State surpassed previous years: Emergency procedures have failed over several Department of Health’s statewide medical services visited 73 times from years to find support among Republi- dashboard of cases, brings Vander- January through October. At least 29 cans whose full-supermajority com- burgh County to 10,546 cases of of those visits resulted from trauma or mand of the Indiana Legislature came COVID-19, the illness caused by the violence, such as stabbings. Another about after they gained total control novel coronavirus. The total has been 28 incidents were given vague labels over redrawing those maps 10 years building since the first case emerged such as “medical.” ago. The coalition of some 25 groups, on March 19. including Common Cause Indiana, the Evans, Embry lead NAACP and the League of Women Vot- Trump blasts ers, said they hoped public pressure Rokita transition would force Republicans not to draw Georgia GOP INDIANAPOLIS — Attorney new voting districts behind closed General-elect Todd Rokita has named WASHINGTON — President doors. “The General Assembly won’t veteran attorney Brent C. Embrey as Trump’s sustained assault on his own do it—we understand the motiva- chairman of the transition team and party in Georgia, and his repeated tions why they won’t do it,” said Julia former IU Health President and CEO claims of election fraud in the state, Vaughn, Common Cause Indiana’s Daniel F. Evans, Jr. as chairman of the have intensified worries among policy director. “So we’re creating this team’s executive committee. Others Republicans that he could be hurting parallel, this shadow, process that on the team include Greg Zoeller, Greg their ability to win two crucial Senate will demonstrate to Hoosiers and the Garrison, Sen. Erin Houchin, Peter runoff races next month (New York Legislature alike that there is a way Drumm, Larry Hopkins, Tom John, Times). The president has continued to do this in the public interest, out in Tom Wheeler, Michael Schopmeyer, to claim without evidence that his loss the open so that everybody can see.” Jamie Weber and David Miller. in the new battleground state was fraudulent, directing his ire in particu- Long-time East Hospitalizations lar at Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary up 350% since Sept. of State Brad Raffensperger, both Chicago clerk dies conservative Republicans, whom he INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana’s has accused of not doing enough to EAST CHICAGO — Mary Mor- hospitals had more COVID-19 patients help him overturn the result. Over the ris Leonard, a leader in East Chicago than ever before over the Thanksgiv- weekend, he escalated his attacks on government and politics for more ing weekend and the number under Mr. Kemp, saying he was “ashamed” than a quarter century, has died (NWI intensive care unit treatment also con- to have endorsed him in 2018, and on Times). Leonard served six terms as tinued its recent steep increase (AP). Monday he called Mr. Kemp “hapless” East Chicago city clerk beginning in The Indiana State Department of as he urged him to “overrule his obsti- 1992. Her tenure ended following an Health’s daily update on Monday also nate Republican Secretary of state.’’ unsuccessful bid for the Democratic reported 38 more coronavirus deaths mayoral nomination in 2015.