Behning, Kubacki, Waterman Teeter Rep
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V19, N32 Thursday May 1, 2014 Behning, Kubacki, Waterman teeter Rep. Morris under fire as primary heads into homestretch By BRIAN A. HOWEY INDIANAPOLIS – Three incumbent House Republicans, including the Education Commit- tee chairman and one Republican senator, are in tossup primary reelection battles heading into the homestretch of the May 6 primary. Education Chairman Robert Behning, along with State Reps. Rebecca Kubacki and Bob Morris, are in “Tossup” races and could lose their seats. State Sen. John Waterman is also in a reelection campaign of Supt. tough reelection campaign as his Senate colleagues have of Public Instruction Tony Bennett. Indicative of the tough flowed into the district to campaign and sent money from race he is in, an 11th hour influx of establishment money their own war chests. is flowing in, including $45,000 from Hoosiers for Economic While Waterman, Morris and Kubacki all anticipat- Growth on Monday and $2,500 from the Marion County ed tough primary challenges, the Behning race has devel- GOP Central Committee on Tuesday. That comes on top oped late, with challenger Michael Scott co-opting some of the education forces that doomed the 2012 statewide Continued on page 4 Pence’s disciplined script By BRIAN A. HOWEY INDIANAPOLIS – Somewhere in a very, very far place, Michael Deaver and “the fellas” had to be smiling. For here was an earnest Reagan disciple, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, getting ready for questions from Fox News Sunday’s Chris Wallace, “I always believed I acted and on millions of conservative screens across the fruited plains clearly within House rules and and amber waves of grain was the House code of ethics while this chyron: “Pence’s Record as offering my expertise on a Indiana Governor: Cut taxes dramatically; 1st state to pull particular issue.” out of Common Core; Increase - State Rep. Eric Turner, after in private school vouchers; $400M on new highway proj- the House Ethics Committee ects.” exonerated him A campaign consultant Page 2 anywhere would have been exultant “Well, Chris, honestly,” Pence about the visual treatment. Here on began, “my focus is entirely on the the screen is someone we not only future of the people of Indiana. We’ll know so well, but we could practi- let my future take care of itself.” cally say his lines before they left the The strict talking points and governor’s lips. programmed moments we’ve watched “Is there a governing phi- and heard from Gov. Pence over the losophy in everything you’ve been past few years now come into fo- trying to do?” Wallace asked. cus. The Indiana governorship is his “Well, I really think there is,” launching pad. Pence sticks to the is a non-partisan newslet- Pence began. “It’s why we say In- script, and his modest policy achieve- ter based in Indianapolis and diana is a state that works. And the ments (built on the foundation forged Nashville, Ind. It was founded results speak for themselves. We have by Gov. Mitch Daniels) become the in 1994 in Fort Wayne. the lowest unemployment rate in the conservative beacon. Midwest. We have one of the fast- While U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz, It is published by est growing labor WWWHowey Media, LLC forces in the coun- 405 Massachusetts Ave., try and our state Suite 300 Indianapolis, IN is prospering even 46204 during these uncer- tain times because for some time here Brian A. Howey, Publisher in Indiana, we’ve Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington been just putting Jack E. Howey, Editor common sense prin- Mary Lou Howey, Editor ciples into practice, living within our means, letting people Marco Rubio and Rand Paul say things Maureen Hayden, Statehouse keep more of what they earn, promot- deemed controversial to the main- Matthew Butler, Daily Wire ing economic freedom like the right stream (do your own Internet search), to work. And that’s why you’re seeing Pence religiously sticks to the script. Subscriptions increased investment in Indiana, more He goes to the shooting range, but he HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 jobs in Indiana, and I’m awful proud doesn’t hold a gun upside down at an of the progress that people of Indiana NRA convention. HPI Weekly, $350 have made.” Speaking to the national Ray Volpe, Account Manager After Wallace pressed him on NRA convention in Indianapolis last 317.602.3620 guns in school parking lots (Pence: Friday, Pence kept the red meat in email: [email protected] “We made a modest change, a com- the Governor’s Mansion refrigerator. mon sense change in Indiana law. And “The cure for what ails this country I strongly supported it”) and Russia will come more from our nation’s state Contact HPI (Pence: “Let’s allow Poland and the capitals than it ever will from our na- www.howeypolitics.com Czech Republic to have that missile tion’s capital,” Pence said in comments [email protected] shield that they were entitled to by deemed to be the beginnings of a sec- Howey’s Cabin: 812.988.6520 joining NATO”) the anchor popped his ond Jeffersonian movement (See page Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 POTUS cork. 19). “It’s important to remember that “All of which brings us to the states created the federal govern- Washington: 202.256.5822 the possibility of your running for ment, the federal government didn’t Business Office: 317.602.3620 president, sir,” Wallace said. “I just create the states.” happened to notice that next month Instead of guns, he talked © 2014, Howey Politics Indiana. in May you’re going to be speaking butter. “We have tax cuts scheduled All rights reserved. Photocopy- before the Wisconsin State GOP con- every year until 2021,” Pence said. vention and in June you’re going to “We’ve cut the income tax. We’ve cut ing, Internet forwarding, fax- be speaking before the Alabama state the corporate tax to the second lowest ing or reproducing in any form, GOP convention. Forgive me for being in the country. And we ended death whole or part, is a violation of a little bit cynical here, but it seems taxes in Indiana, once and for all last federal law without permission like you’re leaving the door wide open year.” Common Core? Education deci- from the publisher. to running for president.” sions “should be made in the commu- Page 3 nities by the parents and fellow governors in Wiscon- families that are affected sin and Alabama later this by them the most.” spring, and punditry keeps A presidential run the score. in 2016? “If I only had 12 Several days after Pence years left to live, I’d want appeared on Fox News to live it as a member of Sunday, an NBC/Wall Street Congress, because that Journal Poll revealed that was the 12 longest years former Florida governor Jeb of my life,” he joked. Bush’s fav/unfavs stood at The crowd lapped 21/32%. In another nugget, it up. So did the pundits. 70% in that poll agreed with The U.S. News & World Re- former First Lady Barbara port observed that Pence Bush that more than two or was the one who emerged three families should run for from the gathering with president. the “most buzz, partly After Bush said he was because he’s the freshest considering running for face on the possible slate.” president at last week’s “Indiana Gov. Mike fundraiser, he joked: “Would Pence might have given you call and tell my mom?” the most 2016-pitch-style- As for Sen. Paul, NBC/ speech so far,” tweeted Jim WSJ showed him with 23% Geraghty, a reporter for favorable and 25% unfavor- the conservative National able rating. But among Tea Review. Party Republicans, it’s a 59% As Howey Poli- to 7% margin. Among non-Tea tics has, Wallace circled Party Republicans, his favor- around the governor and ability rating is 30%-14%. tried to pierce the script. The national pollsters are “I don’t want to not asking the Pence questions beat a dead horse. But I yet. Stay tuned. guess I’ll hit it one more Pence and Paul look at the time,” Wallace said. “Back 2016 lay of the land, and they in 2012 you were thinking see that populist/evangelicals about running for presi- Mike Huckabee and Rick San- dent. You decided not to. I mean does that – does the torum won the Iowa caucuses the past two presidential idea that perhaps you could help save the nation, solve cycles. Neither was from the cornbelt. They know this type the nation’s problems, does that still beat inside you?” of brand will also play well in South Carolina and Nevada. He found rhetorical Pence Kevlar. But search the Internet for “wacky quotes” from Pence responded, “Well, let me be honest Cruz, Paul and Pence, and you find discipline from the with you, I’m always humbled and flattered any time I’m Hoosier and not so much from the others. A tight script. A mentioned for the highest office in the land. But I honestly conservative in a good, self-effacing mood (“Behind every think much of that talk is the result of the progress the great man is a woman rolling her eyes”). people of Indiana have been making. I mean the fact is Instead, you find Pence saying things like this: we have the lowest unemployment rate in the Midwest, we “The conservative movement today is like that tall ship demonstrated the ability to balance our budget, cut taxes with its proud captain: Strong, accomplished but veering even while we invest in expanded educational opportuni- off course into the dangerous and uncharted waters of big ties and infrastructure.