Thursday, January 6, 2000 • Volume 6, Number 17 Page 1 of8 Lugar, Bayh, new • =:.: .= == The ~ mayors head Top 50 2nd Annual HPR Most Influential List Howey T By BRIAN A. HOWEY in Indianapolis MARK SCHOEFF JR. in Washington Who are the 50 most influential political figures in Political Indiana? The 2000 list is the product of more than a hundred e-mails from HPR readers, as well as our own analysis. The most significant development was Evan Bayh's ascension to No. 2, ahead of Gov. Frank O'Bannon, and the Report emergence of new mayors as regional power brokers in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville and South Bend. The Howey Political Report is published by NewsLink The overall strength of the Indiana Congressional del­ Inc. Founded in 1994, The Howey Political Report is egation is also well represented, with 11 out of the 12 mem­ an independent, non-partisan newsletter analyzing the political process in Indiana. bers making the list. Only U.S. Rep. John Hostettler failed to make the cut. Brian A. Howey, publisher We also saw a further decline in the political parties, Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington writer with only one county party chair making the list while the Jack E. Howey, editor state's two largest political organi:zations - Marion County Republicans and Lake County Democrats - remain The Howey Political Report Office: 317-254-1533 PO Box 40265 Fax: 317-254-2405 embroiled in contention. Indianapolis, IN 46240-0265 [email protected] Controversial? Did anyone say controversial? Hell yes www.howeypolitics.com it is. This is our annual version of the Hot Stove League. Read 'em and weep (or bleat). Washington office: 202-775-3242; Business Office: 317- 1. U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar: Congressional Quarterly 254-0535. Pager: 317-320-2722; Daytime number: 317- 254-2400, Ext. 273 named him one of the top 50 members. He's got $2 million in the bank for his campaign. He continues to strengthen his Subscriptions: $250 annually via e-mail or position as the most thoughtful conservative in Congress. fax. Call 317-254-1533. Washington listens to Lugar on foreign policy. His warm © 2000, The Howey Political Report. All rights endorsement of Texas Gov. George W. Bush is sure to reserved. Photocopying, Internet forwarding, foxing or generate speculation about a potential appointment as reproducing in any form, in whole or in part, is a viola­ SecretarY of State, should Bush win the GOP presidential tion offederal law and is strictly prohibited without consent of the publisher. nonllnation.If Sen. Jesse Helms does what is expected and does not seek re-election in 2002, Lugar will likely head the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The only asterisk ((QUOTE" OF THE WEEK comes with the controversies surrounding the 1996 Freedom to Farm Act, and even now it's too early to tell ifit will need major reworking. Victory-starved Hoosier Republicans look "The Kitchen Cabinets, hangers-on, and to Lugar to lead the ticket to victory next fall, just as he did those who like to be on the inner circle in 1994. For that reason, Lugar will have maximum clout in Indiana in 2000. Lugar is a once-in-a-century politician, and always have advice. Usually the advice is he heads our list for the second year. because they have an agenda .... " 2. U.S. Sen. Evan Bayb: The best in the punditry business have Bayh forecast for the national ticket, if not this year, then by 2004 or 2008. There have been other senators - Outgoing Evansville Mayor Frank McDonald II to • new Mayor Russell Lloyd Jr. (Courier & Press) Continued on page 2 Thursday, January 6, 2000 Page 2 of8 ·.-, V PR!PARATIOllS YLI\. ASWE Sf.E'm •••• with such lofty potential that did not make a thriving economy and record highway TICKER it. Bayh is about as well positioned as one spending program should be a big boost. can be. He handled the Clinton impeach­ Since governors could serve two terms, T A p E ment adroitly and then was able to offer none of them has even come close to los­ his first major legislative initiatve with ing. Upsetting O'Bannon will be tough, Senate Finance Chairman Pete Dominici but he's not in as good a position as he AGENCIES RESISTED: The as a co-sponsor. How many freshmen sen­ was a year ago. Anderson Herald-Bulletin ators from the minority party can claim 4. U.S. Rep. David Mcintosh: reported that "as various city and state agencies something such as that? Bayh deftly Indiana Republicans have probably never learned of a possible conta­ inserted himself into the tax debate last had a candidate in such a critical position. mination of the White River, summer by championing the New Demo­ If Mcintosh wins the primary and upsets there was no interaction crat approach. He also established a lead­ Gov. O'Bannon, he will be seen as the bet.ween agencies to thwart ership PAC, which will help him build savior of a moribund party that has steadi­ a potential environmental support for his political future through ly lost ground in the last dozen years. If disaster." Meanwhile, Guide numerous IOUs for the cash he doles out. he loses, the GOP is in a start-from­ Corporation of Anderson 3. Gov. Frank O'Bannon: The scratch position. Mcintosh is far better denied having anything to governor didn't have a real good year in poised to pull in the traditional GOP con­ d with the chemical spill 1999, losing his top legislative initiative stituency that peeled off to vote for Bayh that resulted in a massive White River fish kill begin· (full-day kindergarten), and then enduring and O'Bannon. He will strike hard at ning on Dec. 9 a series of controversies such as state O'Bannon's vulnerabilities on education trooper pay, the loss of certification at the and property taxes. Iflegislative NEW MAYORAL CLASS Muscatatuck Developmental Center, and Republicans are seen as having their act TAKES OVER: Indiana's the Sexcise Police scandal. Even House together in this coming session, that will three largest cities ushered Democrats have been grumbling about his be because Mcintosh is helping with the in new mayms over the program. All of this leaves open the strategy (since legislators begged him to weekend. Democrats Bart debate on his leadership quality, a notion enter the race). He is much better at retail Peterson in Indianapolis. that makes the normally mild-mannered politics that Stephen Goldsmith. He Graham Richard in Fort governor bristle. However, O'Bannon approaches politics like a chess master, Wayne and Republican appears to remain personally popular and each move strategically dove-tailed into RusseB Lloyd Jr. took their Continued on page 3 continued on page 4 Page3 of8 Thursday, January 6, 2000 HPR's first-ever 1999 50 Most Influential List 1.) U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar 21.) Chair Robin Winston 41.) Mayor John TICKER 2.) Gov. Frank O'Bannon 22.) Prosecutor Scott Fernandez 3.) U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh Newman 42.) AG Jeff Modisett T A p E 4.) State Sen. Larry Borst 23.) Keo Zeller 43.) Lee Hamilton 5.) Chairman Joe Andrew 24.) U.S. Rep. Julia Carson 44.) Bart Peterson oaths of office. 6.) Dan Quayle 25.) U.S Rep. Steve Buyer 45.) Supt Suellen Reed 7.) Mel & Herb Simon 26.) State Sen. Bob Garton 46.) Nancy Pappas INDIANAPOLIS: Peterson 8.) Steve Hilbert 27.)TomNew 47.) Dick Freeland stressed bipartisanship and 9.) Speaker John Gregg 28.) State Rep. Paul 48.) Teresa & Mark faith in the city's controver­ 10.) Marty Morris Mannweiller Lubbers sial transportation system. 11.) U.S. Rep. David 29.) Secretary of State Sue 49.) Ed & Ann DeLaney Following his inaugural Mcintosh Anne Gilroy 50.) Jeff Smulyan speech at Shortridge MS, Peterson took an lndyGo 12.) U.S. Rep. Tun Roemer 30.) Tom Sugar Honorable Mention: bus to a reception at the 13.) U.S. Rep. Ed Pease 31.) U.S. Rep. Dan Burton State Sen. Vi Simpson City-Cou111J Building. 14.) State Rep. B. Patrick 32.) David Gogol Sheriff Jack Cottey Peterson reaffmned his Bauer 33.) Bernie Toon Rex Early campaign pledge to take 15.) Mitch Daniels 34.) Stephen Stiglich Peter Rusthoven aim at illegal drugs in 16.) GOP State Chair Mike 35.) Steve Shine John Hammond Indiana's capital city. McDaniel 36.) Butch Morgan State Rep. Jeff Espich Peterson hosts an inauguarl 17.) Pat Kiely 37.) Mayor Stephen Eric Miller baD Thursday night at the 18.) Judy O'Bannon Goldsmith Karl Herron Indiana Roof. 19.) Lt Gov. Joe Kernan 38.) Mayor Paul Helmke Mike Smith EVANSVILLE: Indiana Chief 20.) U.S. Rep. Mark 39.) Michael K. Phillips Jim Purucker Justice Randall Shepard Souder 40.) Gordon Durnil State Rep. Peggy Welch swore in Russell Lloyd Jr., saying, "We like your vision. 0 the last. If O'Bannon's cornerstone strate­ state's four largest cities. Winston directed Won't you take us there? (Susan Taylor, Courier & gy is to portray Mcintosh as an extremist, hundreds of thousands of dollars, top­ Press, courierpress.com). In then Indiana Democrats may be in for a flight technology and a half million phone his speech, Lloyd said, "In rude surprise next November. calls into the Fort Wayne, Evansville and the coming four years, I 5. State Sen. Larry Borst: The ol' Indianapolis mayoral races and ended up expect the Lloyd administra­ dog doctor may hold the key to the gover­ 3 out of 4. He perfected a city-base power tion to be known for the nor's race. Does he go along with strategy that even Gordon St Angelo basic principles which I O'Bannon's need for a reassessment would have to admire.