V20, N42 Thursday, July 30, 2015 Solutions for low Indiana vote turnout Atrophy in participation requires stewardship By BRIAN A. HOWEY and MATTHEW BUTLER INDIANAPOLIS – The concept of stewardship means leaving things in better shape than you found them. For many in the current generation of political and policy leadership in Indiana, they’ve witnessed a steep decline in voter partici- pation. Over the past generation, voter turnout has plummeted to the point where the state has one of the worst rates in the United States. Hoo- sier policy makers need to explore and implement reforms. pares to 79.8% who voted in Alabama, 57.6% in When it comes Maine, 54.3% in Wisconsin and 49.5% in Oregon. to voter turnout, Indiana In 2010, Indiana ranked 38th with 36.8% vot- ranked 43rd according to the Election Assistance Com- ing. “The last time voter turnout dipped below 36.4% in a mission in the 2014 elections with 27.7% of people in the U.S. general election was 1942, when 33.9% hit the polls,” state over age 18. The New York Times ranked Indiana 50th in voter turnout using a different criterion. This com- Continued on page 3 Gregg’s lessons learned By CHRIS SAUTTER WASHINGTON – It’s often said in politics that a candidate can learn more from losing than winning. Bill Clinton as the nation’s youngest former governor learned enough from his 1980 loss to win it right back in a re- match. Barack Obama used les- “The Club For Growth PAC sons from his 2000 loss for a U.S. House seat to successfully win a strongly endorses Marlin seat in the U.S. Senate four years Stutzman for U.S. Senate. Marlin later. John Gregg and Glenda has fought for economic liberty Ritz are good examples of both sides of that adage. Former since he was elected to Congress House Speaker Gregg, who in 2010.” started slowly in his 2012 race for governor before losing to - Club For Growth President Mike Pence in a surprisingly close David McIntosh election, is off to a fast start in Page 2 a possible re-match. On the other At the Washington event, hand, State Superintendent of Public Gregg shared some interesting results Instruction Glenda Ritz thus far seems from focus groups his campaign to have learned the wrong lessons commissioned just before the RFRA from her stunning victory over incum- controversy broke. Voters who partici- bent Tony Bennett in 2012. pated in the focus groups liked Pence Gregg visited Washington personally. But not one of them could recently, meeting with the Democratic cite a single accomplishment of his Governors Association, raising some administration. As the saying goes, money, and basking a bit in second Pence’s support before RFRA was a is a non-partisan newslet- quarter fundraising totals that showed mile wide but an inch deep. Now, as ter based in Indianapolis and him outraising Gov. Pence by about a result of RFRA, what likely sticks Nashville, Ind. It was founded $125,000 this year, though Pence still out in the minds of most voters is in 1994 in Fort Wayne. has significantly more money in the that Mike Pence was clueless about bank. Gregg told a group of sup- the hazards of RFRA and that he It is published by porters at a downtown Washington embarrassed Indiana nationally. That WWWHowey Media, LLC gathering that last time he tended to negative impression will be difficult to 405 Massachusetts Ave., opt for attending the small town bean erase. Suite 300 Indianapolis, IN supper over making fundraising calls. Indiana’s governor race is 46204 As a result of his poor fundraising, he on the radar screen of national Demo- failed to convince the DGA to invest crats this time.The major reason for more than nominally in his first race the enthusiasm obviously stems from Brian A. Howey, Publisher against Pence. Afterward, the DGA Pence’s disastrous handling of RFRA. Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington conceded, given the closeness of the But Democrats are also clearly pleased Jack E. Howey, Editor race, that they might have missed an with Gregg’s much-improved approach Mary Lou Howey, Editor opportunity to “steal one” from the to campaigning. GOP. Campaigns matter. The last Maureen Hayden, Statehouse Gregg also seems to have time Hoosier Democrats won a gov- Matthew Butler, Daily Wire learned lessons in messaging. In his ernor’s race they were supposed to Mark Curry, photography first run, Gregg over-relied on down- lose was in 1996.That year Lt. Gov. home Hoosier themes instead of Frank O’Bannon defeated Indianapolis Subscriptions emphasizing important professional Mayor Stephen Goldsmith, though strengths and explaining what he overwhelmingly handicappers believed HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 would do differently than Pence. He Goldsmith would prevail. O’Bannon HPI Weekly, $350 came across as “not gubernatorial” in won, in large part, because he ran Ray Volpe, Account Manager his television commercials last time. one of the best statewide campaigns 317.602.3620 Gregg has a wealth of in recent memory. Tom New, who email: [email protected] knowledge about how state govern- skillfully managed the 1996 O’Bannon ment works from his days as Speaker race, is advising John Gregg this year of the Indiana House. And, as a and apparently Gregg is listening. Contact HPI former college president, he has an Meanwhile, the Ritz campaign www.howeypolitics.com advantage over both Pence and Ritz is nothing if not puzzling. While it is [email protected] on the issue of higher education. In true that she won her race in 2012 Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 2012, those strengths were obscured with very little money, she could not by questionable TV ads designed to possibly believe she can be elected Washington: 202.256.5822 garner attention and raise his name governor without strong fundraising. Business Office: 317.602.3620 recognition. She apparently hit a roadblock with This time Gregg seems totally organized labor and some of the other © 2015, Howey Politics Indiana. focused on the message that Indiana major Democratic contributors. But it All rights reserved. Photocopy- deserves better than the ideologically would seem that she could easily raise driven and divisive policies of Mike an amount in six figures or more from ing, Internet forwarding, fax- Pence. He is talking about his impres- her much vaunted statewide grass- ing or reproducing in any form, sive resume and the policies he would roots network, if nothing else. whole or part, is a violation of implement to promote job creation, Ritz’s various fundraising federal law without permission improve education, and bring Hoosiers and other problems lead inescapably from the publisher. together. to the conclusion that no one is in Page 3 charge or in control of her campaign. She has time to turn have prevented the RFRA crisis? If not, the Democratic it around, but the current negative buzz in Indiana political nominee, whoever it is, has a good shot at an upset. circles makes her task even more difficult. Winning is obviously better than losing. But win or If Gregg has learned important lessons from his lose, candidates need to understand why they won or lost last campaign, the question then is whether Mike Pence and take corrective action to improve their chances of win- has learned the right lessons from both his narrow vic- ning the next election. tory in 2012 and his disastrous handling of the RFRA crisis John Gregg seems to be learning the right lessons earlier this year. If he is able to put RFRA behind him and from 2012. Whether either Glenda Ritz or Mike Pence will keep his party united, he will be the favorite again. Indiana remains to be seen. v is a Republican state. It takes unique circumstances or a special candidate for a Democrat to win statewide. Sautter is a Democratic consultant based in Wash- But does Pence understand why his last race was ington. surprisingly close and why he missed signals that could (those numbers rose to 41% Republican with leaners and Vote reform, from page 1 36% Democrats with leaners), while 24% described them- selves as independent. Republicans tend observed Terre Haute Tribune-Star to respond that when Democrats drew the columnist Mark Bennett. maps in 1991 and 2001, Democrats ended Of the 435 U.S. House seats, up with more House seats than the total 56 are considered competitive, but vote. none is in Indiana. There were 54 “The outcomes are decided well in ad- seats in the Indiana General Assem- vance,” said Sugar. “We need to take the bly that were unopposed in 2014. politics away. People want to make choices And in 2012, while President Obama between good candidates. You have too received 44% of the vote in Indiana, many districts that are noncompetitive. Hoosiers elected seven Republicans There are districts on both sides of the aisle and two Democrats to the U.S. that are like that. When you have unop- House, 40 Republicans to the Indiana posed candidates running, that removes that Senate compared to 10 Democrats, choice. That removes the motivation that and 71 Republicans to the Indiana someone has to get involved in the process. House, compared to 29 Democrats. Some of the things involved there can be Bennett quoted University changed, some cannot.” of Florida political scientist Michael Sugar has forged a “No Politics Plan” that McDonald who cited Indiana elec- is seeking an independent redistricting com- tion laws that tamp down voter Tom Sugar is pushing the Lead or Leave mission in Indiana.