Thursday, June 11, 1998 • Volume 4, Number 27 Page 1of8 ..·.;:;.:.:;.••••• ... Assessing Indiana's THE ::..-=--· open 9th CD seat Time may be running out for Leising to compete HOWEYT ByMarkSchoeffJr. Howey Political Report WASHINGTON - After losing her two previous attempts to win Indiana's 9th CD seat,Jean Leising said the 1998 race "feels dif­ POLITICAL ferent" and she is building momentum, despite trailing Democrat Baron Hill in fund-raising by more than $200,000 and being viewed in Washington as the underdog. Leising clearly needs to raise much more money for the fall REPORT campaign. Help may come from Washington. "There's every reason to believe that she'll be fully funded" by The Howey Political Report is published 40 times a year by NewsLink,lnc.Founded in 1994, The Howey Political Report is the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), said a an independent, non-partisan newsletter analyzing the political party source in Washington. "Fully funded" means that the NRCC process in Indiana .. would allocate to Leising the entire $65,000 in coordinated funds that Brian A. Howey can be given to a candidate. Coordinated funds are defined as hard editor and publisher money. They are put directly into a candidate's campaign account, where they can used for television advertising and other activities The Howey Political Report Office: 317-254-1533 PO Box 20877 Fax: 317-254-2405 that explicitly promote the candidate. Indianapolis, IN 46220 bhowey@nuvo.net No decisions have been made by the NRCC regarding coordi­ nated funds but the Indiana 9th "is a major target It is an open seat Business office: 317-926-0204 and it's certainly the biggest seat in Indiana;' said the GOP source. Washington office: 202-775-3242 Republicans hold an 11-seat majority in the House of Daytime number: 317-254-2400,Ext.273 Representatives. NewsLink.Home Page: http://www.inoffice.com/hpr Pols in Indianapolis and the nation's capital may doubt Leising's ability to win the seat being vacated by longtime incumbent Subscriptions: $250 annually via fax or first class Rep.Lee Hamilton.But they're misguided, said Leising, a former state mail. Call subscription office at 317-926-0204. senator. © 1998, The Howey Political Report. All rights reserved. "There's a lot of excitement out there about this race. It feels Photocopying, faxing or reproducing in any form, in whole or in really good; she said of her travels in the district. "I know in part, is a violation offederal law and is strictly prohibited Washington and Indianapolis they laugh at me for saying that, but it without consent of the publisher. feels different out there?' Continued on page 2 ((QUOTE" OF THE WEEK INSIDE FEATURES I .~~~~~~~- "I am a conservative ... :" • Ticker Tape: Carter leaves Hudson for Quayle page 2 - Fort Wayne Mayor Paul Helmke, In his keynote • Horse Race: First look at Statehouse races pages 4-5 address to the Indiana Republican Convention. • Columnists: Ullmann, Howey, Pence page 6 •Perhaps We Wander: Helmke's convention pages 7-8 Thursday, June 11, 1998 Page 2 of 8 • mitments from House GOP leadership to come 9'th CD, from page J TICKI~R to the 9th CD. Memb1~r:; who have indicated Hill seems to have picked up whw:· lie they will headline fund-raisers include House • T A P E left offin 1990, when be impressed thi: Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-1ex.),House IWllt!i-llliJ~.Dm Washington and Indiana political com mu 1; i1: ies Majority Whip Tom D~Lay (R-Tex.),and the Gov. Frank O'Bannon wa1s the by nearly upsetting incumbent Sen. Dm1 Conics. highest-ranking woman in the Hous'e lieader­ object of some dubiot11s press He got an early start in his 9th CD run, and has ship,Rep.Jennifer Du1tn (R-Wash.}. amassed a $319,567 ca.sh balance compared to This year m<y frel different to Leising, coverage this past we1~k -for Leising's $16,923, according to the last Federal the first time in nearlly ci year. but leading political analysts in Washington are The Times of Northwest Election Commission filing. Washingt(Jn calling her the underdog. "She's made the cut of Indiana reported tha·t Democrats praise Hill's organi1zational and the top five or six cloz1.:n races that people are O'Bannon had accepte•d fund-raising skills.He also is receiving strm1g watching, but she's nol :.n that top lier:' said almost $30,000 in campaign backing from organized labor. Stuart Rothenberg., 1.:d 1rnr of the Rothenberg contributions from tc1ll11a1cco Although Leising won a cont,es l(:d pr i­ Political Report. "She still has something to interests, including $1i2f500 in mary handily with 68 percent of the vote, i1: prove?' Rothenberg said Leising must demon­ the final months of 19'97. drained money and time she could ha'le sp e 11t strate more strength in polls, fund-raising and O'Bannon acknowled9ed that on fund-raising for th(! genernl election. EJ1Jt the "overall quality of her campaign?' accepting contributimH from now that she's survived that test, th;! general election against Hill may not be as daunting as big tobacco conflicted with his Demo her previous runs against Hamilton. Critical1 i:ratic seat "children's agenda" as well as The 9th CD :·;eat is critical for Demo­ the lawsuit AG Jeff Modisett First of all, an open seat makes pol:itkal organizations pay more attention. She':; lRn in g crats, and that is hel pJ ul to Hill, said Amy filed on Feb.19, 1997,a!Jainst Walter, House editor for the Cook Political U.S. cigarette makers."'The up endorsements earlier than in 1994 and 1 J16. Report."We still consider Baron Hill the favorite. industry in the past wa!; like The National Association of Manufacturrr :;, the Business Industry Political Action Conm it:· ,; , Democrats can't afford to lose this seat. When Ford or General Moto~s ,or any you need to pick up l I, you can't give one away;' • other business. It's now the Association of Buil.ders a11d Contrnc:t,.it:s. she said. Hill "is not lacking in support from becoming so evil that it makes and the National Rifle Association ;m all on board. Washington?' Continued rm page 3 In addition, Leising says sh~! h2.s rn.nn- A Democrati.c ~l/ashington consultant Page 3 of 8 Thursday, June 11, 1998 said that doubts about Leising are undermining the campaign. "In practice, it's a conservative her chances to make any fund-raising gains. district:' said a Washington GOP fund-raiser. TICKER "She's in danger of falling off the radar screen "Hill is clearly more liberal than Lee Hamilton:' for Washington contributors:' said Chris Saut­ Political labels don't mean much to Hill. T A p E ter, who is 8th CD Democratic challenger Gail "I'm in tune with the way most people in the Riecken's media adviser. "They're beginning to district think;' he said, adding Hoosiers in the big stories and headlines," treat Hill like the incumbent. There is a lot of 9th CD don't want to put the federal government O'Bannon said. competition for PAC and individual money, and out of business, they want to make it better. that race is at the point where people are mov­ "Most people would not want to elimi­ Gov.O'Bannon appeared ing on." nate the Department of Education or radically before his Blue Ribbon change Social Security or Medicare:' Hill said. Commission on taxes in an Ohio Valley is a crucial region "They want a federal government that's more effort to "re-energize" the The paper-thin GOP House majority, responsive and more efficient:' group that is falling prey to however, may keep attention focused on the 9th Leising said she will focus on reducing politics. "Your responsibility is CD and other districts in the Ohio River Valley, government spending and lowering taxes. She to make the base of knowl­ said Mark Rozell, professor of political science also will concentrate on social issues, such as edge," said O'Bannon.0 1will at American University. "That region is going to opposing abortion rights and supporting gun take the lead in proposing leg­ be crucial to the composition of the House:' rights. islation."O'Bannon said he Thomas Edsall, a Washington Post political Areas where Hill and Leising seem to be was looking for a0 revenue reporter, made a similar analysis and highlight­ similar include Social Security and health care. neutral" plan which he wanted ed the 9th CD in an article last week. Both say they want to strengthen the Social after the November election. Hill hopes that the district avoids Security Trust Fund. Both candidates said they He said he would announce his national attention. "I'd like the outsiders to stay would focus on health care issues.'Tm con­ tax restructuring plan by the outside, and let us do our work:' he said. "I cerned that efforts to hold down health care second week of December. would just as soon Jean and I run a local cam­ spending will jeopardize the quality of health paign:' care:' said Leising, a licensed nurse. Rep.Jeff Espich, the ranking Both Hill and Leising emphasize that Republican on the House Ways they will be vigorous in getting out and about in The scandal wild card and Means Committee talked the district, shaking hands door-to-door and at A wildcard issue in 1998 may be White about 0 structural surpluses0 festivals this summer.
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