Political Activity in the Wake of U.S
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Tuesday, Feb.11, 1997 • Volume 3, Number 20 Page 1of8 Hamilton's void ••••• ....••••• 1..:r.·:.. leaves 'Bloody 9th'' THE ----· Rollicking primaries shaping up on both sides NEW ALBANY - The once stable 9th Congressional District has become a live wire of political activity in the wake of U.S. Rep. HOWEY Lee Hamilton's surprise retirement announcement on Monday. Within hours of the announcement, vigorous showdowns in both parties began to take shape. On the Democratic side, former legislator Baron Hill's name came tumbling off the lips of both POLITICAL Hamilton and Gov.Frank. O'Bannon as a probable nominee.But State Rep. Bill Bailey, a former mayor of Seymour, told HPR he plans to commission a poll with ''litmus questions to determine how conserv REPORT ative the district is:'Bailey said he plans to do the poll this spring. It is also probable that a Democratic candidate will emerge from the populous Jefferson-Floyd county area.New Albany Mayor The Weekly Briefing On Indiana Politics Doug England, who has hosted hospitality suites at past Democratic The Howey Political Report is published 40 times a year by Editorial Association conventions, is expected to give the race serious NewsLink, Inc. Founded in 1994, The Howey Political Report is consideration.Another name is Clark County Judge Jerry Jacobi, who an independent, non-partisan newsletter analyzing the political is extremely popular and would inherit the district's biggest process in Indiana.It neither endorses candidates nor advocates Democratic base. ositions of public policy. • On the Republican side, a showdown between 1994and1996 Brian A. Howey nominee Jean Leising and former Lugar aide Kevin Shaw Kellems is editor and publisher developing. Leising said on the Mike Pence Show on Network Indiana The Howey Political Report Office: 317-685-0883 Tuesday morning, "I would hope to have a decison made within 24 200 W. Washington St., Suite M-1 Fax: 317-692-1032 hours." She talked with supporters by phone over the past day. Indianapolis, IN 46204 [email protected] " I can finally quit contrasting myself with Lee Hamilton and talk about what Jean Leising wants to do~ she said. NewsLink Home Page: http://www.inoffice.com/hpr Kellems, who served as Sen. Richard Lugar's state director Subsaiption information: $250 annually for 40 and press spokesman, said he was flooded with phone calls from editions via fax. or first class mail. Call 317-685-0883. party chairs and mayors from the Floyd, Jefferson and Scott county © 1997, The Howey Political Report. All rights reserved. area urging him to run. "I am humbled by the interest in my poten Photocopying, faxing or reprodudng in any form. in whole or in tial candidacy and will be prayerfully considering the opportunity to part, is a violation of federal law and is ~prohibited run after I discuss it with those closest to me:' said Kellems. The without consent of the publisher. dynamic facing Leising is that she has never run well in Clark and continued on page 2 ((QUOTE" OF THE WEEK INSIDE F E A T U R E S "I am just amazed we have been able to sustain • Play of the Week: a graceful bow out page2 ourselves with people going to jail and all.. .."' •Horse Race: Hill-Kellems race in the 9th? page3 • HPR Interview: U.S. Rep. Lee Hamilton pages4-5 -East Chicago Mayor Robert Pastrick, who is • Columnists: Howey, Wieland, Leonard page6 bowing out as Lake County Demoaatic chairman. • Perhaps We Wander: The Boss era going pages Indiana's fastest growing source ofpolitical news Tuesday, Feb.11, 1997 Page 2 of 8 on the party apparatu;, which is virtually TICKJER meaningless in the De 1nocratic strongholds of Floyd counties in her f:rMo previous losses. Sh Clark and Floyd counties. T A P E was also out-raised by Hamilton by more than a The Michael Bliley factor inderscores 11•11 2-to-l margin in 1996,despite her narrow loss how potentially potenl Lhe abortion issue could o in 1994.A third factor is that her sometimes be in this race. On the Republican side, both /PLAY OF THE WEEK: U. !i. Rep. abrasive personality has worn thin on some Leising and Kellems I' ould hav,e to work to out- Lee Hamilton, who ar11riounced GOP leaders. flank a possible BaiJ,e) candidacy by taking a lllis retirement with grra,ce and Republican leaders are quick to point strident pro-life stanc ! lhat might cut into his dignity.He wm go do1'm in out that Leising didn"t even come close in 1996, support. That could bf :tough to do in a primary Hoosier histoiry as onl!! c1·f the losing her rematch to Hamilton by a 128,885 to campaign spread oL L 11 four media markets and ~rnly great congressmern. 97,747 margin (56 to 42 percent). Historically,, a into some of the most remote Hoosier counties. first rematch in a Congressional race in Ilndiana On the Dem.l)Cl1!Llt:k side, Bill Bailey is virtually always a failure in modern times, as might hold a signifka1J.1l pro-life card sin~e his Mike Pence and Phil Sharp in the 2nd CD, John House Public Policy Cimmittee held hearings Michael Bailey, who vims the Brademas and Tom Ward in the 3rd, and FloY<l and passed the partial birth abortion bill.Bill 9th CD nominee in 19 1 '~Jl,has Fithian in the 5th CD can attest.However,Sh~p, Bailey had the power t D kill the bill by not hear been working flea mcwkets lBrademas and Fithian all won congressional ing it, something hew.ts under pressure from obtaining signatures fow a seats on their third try. some Democrats to do. potential 199.8 Repub~lcan The willd card is 1992 nominee Nlichc_,~l If Baron Hill h: lS an achilles heel, it could ~<:!1ntorial run. Those pl<ms Bailey, who achieved national exposure for run be the abortion issuie <ind geography. Hill began may change now that ning graphic anti-abortion nr ads. In the pri the 1990 Senate race: a; a pro-life candidate, Hamilton has annoumed that mary that year, then Indiana GOP Chairman then spent several cru.:ial weeks reversing his he will not se1!k re-ele1ction in Rex Early and the 21 county chairs united position after polling ~ bowed that a ·xo-choice 1998. behind former state audito~ Charlie Loos. The stance would create a I 1etter contrast with Coats. problem was that turnout was so anemic tha. Hill's roots are .r1 Seymour and he will How much dout do 9t~1 (D Bailey was able to mobilize the church buses have to move quickly t :i establish a stronghold Republican chairmen !have? All and he defeated Loos.Hamilton swamped him in Clark and Floyd.A Jtcobi or England candi- o 21 chairs endorsed Re·~: Early's in the general election that year by a 70-30 per <lacy there in a mult:lpl e candidate <election , 19'96 gubernatorial cam~aign. cent margin. could make things intnesting. Continued 0:1 page 3 No GOP candidate can rely too heavily illi!llE IWIWMJMIW iliiililli Page 3 of 8 Tuesday,Feb.11, 1997 Bet on a Hill-Kellems '98 HQ RSE R A ( E TICKER showdown in the 9th CD T A P E TRENDLINE: So ol' Lee Hamilton is calling it quits in the 9th CD. Horse Race sees two names immediately rising to the top for what will be a classic showdown in 1998: Yet Indianapolis Mayor Democrat Baron Hill v. Republican Kevin Shaw Kellems. Stephen Goldsmith carried 20 of the counties and eventual 9TH CD DEMOCRATS: This is a generational••• opportunity for Southeastern Indiana LG nominee George Witwer Democrats. Several names, like New Albany Mayor Doug England, Clark Superior Judge Jerry won Scott County. Jacobi and State Rep. Bill Bailey, will certainly be bandied around. But when Rep. Hamilton and Gov.Frank O'Bannon line up behind Hill within hours of the retirement announcement, The Leising campaign had then it's strong possibility. never fully shut down after Hill is extremely credible. Currently an Indianapolis stockbroker who still lives in her 56-42 percent loss in 1996. Seymour, Hill has already run statewide, literally walking the length of Indiana in a 1990 race She had speculated that for the U.S. Senate against Dan Coats. He lost by a 54-46 percent margin, which was much Hamilton might be selected to closer than anyone dreamed. Not only did he carry the northern industrial corridor from a Ointon administration cabi Gary to South Bend, but also most of the Ohio River counties that he'll need in 1998. net post and was keeping the Hill is a 1971 Indiana basketball All-Star from Seymour.He served several terms in powder dry. the Indiana House and, like Hamilton, bowed out gracefully. He later served on Gov. Bayh's staff. Hill has a wonderful voice and is an excellent and intelligent public speaker Both Indiana Republican sena 9TH CD REPUBLICANS: Had the polls been on target, former state senator Jean tors greeted the news of Leising might have defeated Hamilton in the 1994 Republican tsunami. Instead, then state Hamilton's retirement in glow chairman Al Hubbard steered late money into the Marion County prosecutor's race and ing terms."Lee Hamilton has Hamilton prevailed by 7,000 votes.Leising tried the almost impossible in 1996 -winning on a been a giant in the Congress," second try - and didn't even come close. In that race she had fund-raising problems.