V26, N36 Thursday, May 20, 2021 Hupfer on Holcomb’s ‘triple slam dunk’ GOP chairman on the budget, Rokita showdown, and ‘stolen’ elections By BRIAN A. HOWEY INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Republican Chairman Kyle Hupfer began his fifth year at the helm with Statehouse Republicans embroiled in constitutional battles, his governor hitting a policy trifecta with an historic budget, a de- layed reap- Hupfer described Gov. Eric Holcomb as having portionment process that won’t yield achieved a “triple slam dunk” in the General Assembly. new maps until Thanksgiving, and questions on whether “The long-term take-away for the state, and I think this President Biden’s 2020 election was legitimate. will shine a light over the next three years on the gover- The potential 2024 gubernatorial candidate, how- nor as well, is how fiscally sound we were going into the ever, insisted he is “laser focused” on 2022 and the reelec- pandemic, how well it was managed during the pandemic tion of U.S. Sen. Todd Young as well as retaking congres- sional majorities. Continued on page 3 Schmuhl’s INDem retool By BRIAN A. HOWEY INDIANAPOLIS – Last year, Mike Schmuhl man- aged a $100 million presidential bid and helped Pete But- tigieg win the Iowa caucus. Two months ago, he took the helm of “That certainly changes the the woebegone Indiana Democrat- ic Party. Which will be the bigger meaning to this text from Greg: challenge? ‘Hey bro! Wanna hang this week- That question won’t be answered until November 2022, end?’” or perhaps two years beyond that, - Talkshow host Stephen Colbert, but Chairman Schmuhl has been building a new foundation. Last commenting on U.S. Rep. Greg week, he announced a new red Pence’s vote against the 1/6 state program with the Democratic National Committee bringing a Commission. The mob had four-year fundraising agreement that includes direct investments chanted ‘Hang Mike Pence.” Page 2 Howey Politics Indiana WWWHowey Media, LLC c/o Business Office PO Box 6553 Kokomo, IN, 46904 www.howeypolitics.com Newly appointed Indiana Democratic Party deputy chairs include (from left) Christina Hale, Destiny Wells, Brian A. Howey, Publisher Nicole Bolden, Kent Yeager and State Sen. Eddie Melton. Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington and grants for states that meet the across the 92 Mary Lou Howey, Editor following criteria: No Democratic counties to try to Susan E. Howey, Editor senator or governor, less than 25% make Indiana a of the congressional delegation are competitive, two- Democrats, and a super majority of party state again. Subscriptions Republicans in their state legislature. This effort will HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 Earlier this week, Schmuhl coincide with a HPI Weekly, $350 added five deputy chairs: Bloomington redistricting pro- Lisa Hounchell, Account Manager Clerk Nicole Bolden, liaison for cities cess that Repub- (765) 452-3936 telephone and towns; 2016 lieutenant governor lican Chairman Kyle Hupfer believes (765) 452-3973 fax nominee Christina Hale, candidate will delay new General Assembly and [email protected] recruitment; Sen. Eddie Melton, equity congressional maps until Thanksgiv- and engagement; Kent Yeager, a ing. former aide to U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly, Schmuhl called that delay Contact HPI “disappointing,” and added, “Redis- [email protected] rural communities; and former India- napolis associate corporation counsel tricting has been tilted in one direc- Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 Destiny Wells, coalitions and expan- tion. We want to be able to this sum- Washington: 202.256.5822 sion. mer going around the state holding Business Office: 765.452.3936 The chairman also announced the Republicans accountable as far as the following staff appointments on fairness, equity and composition.” Noting that while 57% of © 2021, Howey Politics Monday: Lauren Ganapini, executive director; Megan McCullough, data voters chose Republicans in 2020, Indiana. All rights reserved. director; Tiera Johnson, digital special- the majority party carried 70% of Photocopying, Internet forward- ist; and Drew Anderson, communica- legislative seats. “I think it’s skewed ing, faxing or reproducing in any tions director. and unfair,” Schmuhl said. “I want a Schmuhl said the deputies level playing field across the state as form, whole or part, is a violation much as we can.” of federal law without permission had been more regional in representa- tive under past chairs Dan Parker and The operative clause there is from the publisher. John Zody. “I wanted to have regional “as much as we can.” Standing in the representation but I wanted more way are the General Assembly super majorities poised to redraw maps Jack E. Howey responsibility than that,” Schmuhl told HPI on Monday. “Something they using 2011 terminology: Compact editor emeritus districts, communities of interest, 1926-2019 could focus on to boost our efforts around the state.” preserving county lines. Those maps He called the DNC’s red have resulted in the current historic state investment program that fits In- longevity of Republican super majori- diana to a T “the largest investment in ties, while not a single U.S. House state parties in history. We’ll get more incumbent lost this past decade, money.” which was unprecedented. This summer and fall, But in two out of three Schmuhl and his team will fan out U.S. Senate races, control of a seat switched parties. Page 3 “What we’ll do is have events across the state and is backing this plan. It is hugely popular to the tune of 70% talk to Hoosiers directly about what’s going on in India- plus.” napolis, on how Republicans tip the scales in their favor,” He believes the political environment will provide a Schmuhl said. “We need to really hammer that home, tailwind for Democrats. “This mid-term can be very differ- issues like competition and fairness. We need to call out ent from previous ones,” Schmuhl said. “This summer and Republicans when they rig their environment.” fall, kids will be back in school, parents back at work, we Schmuhl said that “creating alternative maps” is are gathering again socially, life is back to normal. That is also another option. not overly political, that is just human nature. As for the 2022 reelection bid by Republican “We’re already seeing how popular Joe Biden is,” U.S. Sen. Todd Young, who defeated former senator and he added. “We want these policies to continue and we’ll be governor Evan Bayh in 2016, Schmuhl said, “I’ve been promoting them throughout the entire state.” talking to a few candidates who have shown interest. As for Donald Trump’s persistent efforts to portray Out of respect for those folks I don’t want to share their himself as a victim of a “stolen election,” Schmuhl said. “I names. I continue to chat with those folks about what it think there is a huge fracture within the Republican Party would take to put together a competitive bid. Todd Young from ex-president Trump all the way down to the state level does need to be held accountable for his term in office.” here in Indiana. Schmuhl called the biennial budget forged by the “Trump wants to be the guy and many people General Assembly in April “a successful session … be- are still with him,” he continued. “Then you’ve got the cause of Joe Biden and his leadership as president and the Cheney/Stefanik battle and where a majority of people federal stimulus coming in an extraordinary set of circum- were against Liz Cheney when she talks about the big lie, stances.” that has come back to Indiana with Rokita v. Holcomb, and Indiana received more than $5 billion in American then you get down to the more granular level and it’s Lucas Rescue Plan funding, on top of the bipartisan-passed 2020 v. the speaker.” That was in reference to Speaker Todd Hus- CARES Act that was signed by President Trump. ton admonishing State Rep. Jim Lucas for racially-oriented “We were able to accomplish some goals that Facebook postings. had been sought for years. Public education, teacher pay, “It’s a battle for the identity of the Republican investments in infrastructure across the state are all very, Party,” Schmuhl said. “We’re going to be talking about very welcome,” Schmuhl said. things that are actually helping people, helping families, Reminded that voters will opt to vote against their helping workers, while they figure out who they are and own economic well-being for cultural issues, Schmuhl how extreme they want to be. responded, “We are organizing around that right now. This “We know where we stand, we know the issues summer, we are going to go around the state and talk we believe in. We’re going to go everywhere to talk about about the American Rescue Plan and what it is bringing to these issues and listen to people.”v Indiana. That’s every county, that’s every city. Everybody governance.” Hupfer, from page 1 Ditto for to maintain our economy, and Gov. Holcomb’s le- how much foresight the gov- gal showdown with ernor had on key issues that Republican Attorney he was already working on General Todd Rokita in advance of the pandemic,” over the governor’s Hupfer said. right to legal coun- Despite legal show- sel. “They talk,” downs over HEA1123 on Hupfer said, an- whether calling a special ses- swering a question sion is an executive decision, of whether the two Hupfer said that Holcomb, executives are on House Speaker Todd Huston good terms. “I don’t and Senate President Pro Tem think it came as a Rodric Bray remain on good surprise. There had terms. “He has strong relationships with Speaker Huston been dialogue before.