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TRENDLINE #1: Will Jill Long Thompson gather enough signatures to qualify for the May 6 primary? She has only 3,509 with the deadline coming next Tuesday.
TRENDLINE #2: These 18 incumbent House members have yet to file for the May 2006 primary with the deadline noon Feb. 22. Democrats: Reps. Sheila Klinker, William Crawford, John Day, Nancy Dembowski, Ron Herrell, Matt Pierce, Greg Porter, Dan Stevenson, Peggy Welch, Dennis Avery, Joe Micon and Carolene Mays. Micon has already announced he will not seek re-election. Indianapolis Councilwoman Cherrish Pryor has filed in HD94 for Mays’ seat. Republicans: Reps. Jeff Espich, Eric Gutwein, Phil Hinkle, Mike Murphy, Ed Soliday, Marlin Stutzman and Amos Thomas.
Governor 2008: Republican: Gov. Mitch Daniels, La Ron Keith. Democrat: Jill Long Thompson, Jim Schellinger. 1996 Results: O’Bannon (D) 1,075,342, Goldsmith (R) 997,505, .jpg)
Dillon (L) 35,261. 2000 Results: O’Bannon (D) 1,230,345, McIntosh (R) 906,492, Horning (L) 38,686. 2004 Results: Daniels (R) 1,302,912, Kernan (D) 1,113,900, Gividen (L) 31,644. 2008 Forecast: Will Jill Long Thompson qualify for the ballot? That’s the critical question today. As of this morning, Thompson’s campaign had 3,509 certified signatures to qualify for the ballot out of the 4,500 needed. The campaign must have 500 certified in each congressional district according to Leslie Barnes fo the Indiana Election Division. Three counties - Clark, Knox and Vanderburgh - do not report electronically. The deadline is noon Feb. 19, complicated by the fact that Monday is President’s Day. As of this morning, Thompson had 382 in the 2nd CD, 148 in the 4th CD, 260 in the 5th, 354 in the 7th CD, 237 in the 8th, and 417 in the 9th. Schellinger has 5,073 signatures certified. The 4th and 5th CDs are hard districts for Democrats to get signatures in. Schellinger has only 386 certified signatures in the 3rd CD and 288 in the 8th CD (though that includes non-reporting Vanderburgh County). Primary Status: TOSSUP, General Status: Leans Daniels
2008 Indiana Congressional
2ND CD: Democrat: U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly. Republican: Luke Puckett, Tony Zirkle. 2006 Results: Donnelly 103,561, Chocola (R) 88,300. 2008 Forecast: Puckett announced on Monday, saying he said he’ll run his campaign on his Christian values as well as a need to secure the nation’s borders, improve its health care system and strengthen the economy. He lives in a portion of Elkhart County that is within the 2nd District. "I’ve chosen all my life to help people," Puckett said Monday after addressing a small crowd at the Jackson Street headquarters. "My core values are what will dictate the direction I go in. If I ever leave those core values, I’ll be directionless." Puckett said Monday he feels Indiana residents agree on the majority of the issues that affect the nation, and agreed that many issues need to be resolved. He added, however, that the district, and Washington, D.C., need legislators who will listen to concerns about those issues. The current Congress, he said, isn’t listening. "When you take a step back and look at the big picture, the only piece of the puzzle missing is representation," he said. "We must have representation that will listen. We must have representation that will act on the core values that we care about as Hoosiers." Primary Status: LIKELY PUCKETT. General Status: LIKELY DONNELLY
5TH CD: Republican: U.S. Rep. Dan Burton, Dr. John McGoff. Democrat: Chester Kelsey, Mary Etta Ruley. 2006 Results: Burton 133,118, Carr (D) 64,362, Sharlow (L) 7,431. 2008 Forecast: Burton was in the national limelight on Wednesday as he grilled Roger Clemens’ former trainer, Brian McNamee. Getting McNamee to admit a number of lies, Burton at one point said, "I know one thing I don’t believe and that’s you. How does he get his reputation back if you lied and lied and lied." Burton’s primary campaign has made a low-level cable TV buy in parts of the 5th. He also sent out a negative mailer hitting McGoff on the immigration issue that includes a letter from State Sen. Mike Delph. The McGoff campaign responds that Burton voted for HR5457 in May 2006 that allows for illegal aliens to go to a registration center to become eligible for citizenship. Dr. McGoff told HPI, "If you’re a sitting congressman with 26 years of experience and you’re sending out negative mailers, it’s an indicator to me that its a desperate gesture by an entrenched Washington insider. McGoff conducted an 11-county bus tour and said, "We’re hearing the same thing nationally: a call for change. It’s no longer ‘I hate Congress but I love my congressman." McGoff said he intends to hit Burton on his 2006 vote against an ethics bill and the fact that he "voted for every spending bill." Former GOP national committeewoman Jean Ann Harcourt is hosting a fundraiser for McGoff next week. "Now it’s about building my name ID up and to connect the negatives to Burton," McGoff said. McGoff also criticized the stimulus package, saying, "As a fiscal conservative, I’m disappointed with the economic stimulus package signed today by the President. Apart from this being a case of too little, too late, I think it is designed more to provide political stimulus for an unpopular Congress in an election year, than it is to provide economic stimulus to a stagnant economy. Primary Status: LEANS BURTON
7TH CD: Republican: State Rep. Jon Elrod. Democrat: Councilman Andre Carson. Libertarian: Sam Shepard. 2006 Results: Julia Carson (D) 74,750, Dickerson (R) 64,304. 2008 Forecast: Elrod was caught on video by state Democrats writing campaign letters while on the floor of the House and handing them to a legislative employee to mail (Indianapolis Star). Elrod on Wednesday apologized for the incidents, calling them “really poor judgment on my part” and said it would never happen again. .jpg)
There are few ethical rules for legislators, and no law or regulation appears to bar Elrod from signing political letters at his House desk. But House Minority Leader Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, said the legislative employee who mailed the letters - Greg Lubsen, deputy media director for House Republicans - violated House personnel rules that bar employees from political activity during work hours. “There will be consequences,” Bosma said, though he did not specify what they would be. Carson ducked the first joint appearance with Elrod and Shepard on Tuesday night, prompting Elrod to say he was "disappointed" and challenge the Democrat to three debates. On Wednesday, the Carson campaign said it would do three joint appearances: Feb. 20 at the Indiana Equality Forum, Feb. 24 at the Indiana Insiders Forum, and March 5 or 6 at the IUPUI Hoosier Scholars Forum. "We have been overwhelmed by the support and energy for Andre Carson’s candidacy, and he has already had the opportunity to speak with many of the voters about their concerns and his values,” said Carson campaign manager Alex Zwerdling. "We’ve had so many invitations for upcoming events, we wanted to make sure voters know when they will have the opportunity to hear Andre Carson’s vision to change Washington and about his solutions for Indianapolis families." Carson called for education reforms to empower students who will be "competing for jobs" in a global economy. U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh offered his endorsement in the March 11 special election. "Every one of those pinks slips represents a father or a mother who lost out as we compete for knowledge-based jobs," Carson said of the 17,000 jobs lost in the United States in December. "As an educator for 10 years, my wife sees the challenges every single day. It’s an issue we discuss at our kitchen table and it’s an issue that will be a driving force if you send me to Congress. They deserve real action and most of all, they deserve real solutions." Carson said No Child Left Behind "has left too many Indiana school children behind" and said he would seek increased funding and flexibility, particularly with special education students. "Special education students need special solutions." He added, "We don’t serve our kids well by teaching to a test." As Bayh looked on, Carson added, "With Sen. Bayh and all of you, I will win the special election on March 11." Bayh said, "I am pleased to lend my voice and my support for Andre Carson today. We need a strong leader who understands a growing economy and jobs and Andre Carson will be that leader. He knows in the long run the single most important thing we can do to create jobs with good wages is to give our working men and women skills they need to get good jobs and grow the economy of tomorrow. That’s the kind of congressman he’s going to be." Bayh’s support of Carson was the second time in three days that an Indiana senator publicly offered to help in the 7th CD special election. Sen. Dick Lugar told HPI on Saturday that he will provide Republican State Rep. Jon Elrod with his campaign’s absentee voter list and will follow up with letters and phone calls. Carson began his TV ad campaign over the weekend. The ads don’t mention Rep. Julia Carson. "My grandmother raised me, she taught me. I sat at her feet," Carson explained. "It’s a delicate balance, honoring the tradition of public service, honoring the past while still being myself." Bayh added, "When I first ran for office, none of my commercials mentioned my father. I was very proud of him and I am proud we have the tradition of public service in my family. But I wanted people to know who I was in my own right, what I stood for and that I was running for office. I think it’s perfectly natural his commercials focus on him. It’s good to know he’s his own man and will stand for his own things. He’s going to do a good job representing this district. In the May primary, Dr. Woodrow Myers filed on Tuesday.At his campaign kickoff on Sunday, Dr. Myers outlined healthcare, education, and jobs as his highest priorities in this race. WTHR-TV ran a story questioning whether Marion County will be prepared for the March 11 and May 6 elections. Is the special election for Indiana’s 7th congressional district putting the May primary in jeopardy? "Elections are complicated and I need help," said Clerk Beth White, a Democrat. "I don’t need people fighting me and calling into question the federal legality of our elections." That’s exactly what Secretary of State Todd Rokita, a Republican, did in a letter sent on Monday. He wrote, "If these machines are not deployed and operational in every precinct…I believe the County would be in violation of federal law." "We absolutely are calling into question the legality because we need to make sure people have confidence in this election and the election she’s running right now does not give us confidence and we’re afraid cannot give voters confidence," said Marion County Republican Party Chairman Tom John. Special Election Status: LEANS CARSON
Indiana General Assembly
HD72: Southern Indiana real estate agent Ed Clere filed yesterday to run as a Republican in House District 72, setting up a challenge with long-time Rep. Bill Cochran, D-New Albany (Louisville Courier-Journal). Clere, 33, who lives in New Albany and owns Dragonfly Realty in Jeffersonville, said area Republicans encouraged him to run and he is particularly interested in the office because he’s concerned about property taxes. "As a real estate broker, I’ve had a front-row seat as politicians have allowed a property-tax crisis to unfold," Clere said. "The system as I see it is inefficient and unfair. The property-tax issue is tremendously complex, and we need to be looking at permanent reform." Clere said the district needs new energy. "He was elected in 1974, and I was born in 1974," Clere said. "So he has been in the legislature pretty much my entire life. … We need new ideas, new voices, new approaches."
HD 77: State Rep. Phil Hoy will retire and former Evansville parks director Gail Riecken, who challenged U.S. Rep. John Hostettler in 1998, has filed for the Democratic nomination.
Tags: Andre Carson, Bill Cochran, Dan Burton, Daniels, Gail Riecken, Jill Long Thompson, John McGoff, Luke Puckett, Phil Hoy, Schellinger
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