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Governor: Republican: Gov. Mitch Daniels. Democrat: Jim Schellinger, Jill Long Thompson. 2008 Outlook: So much for that "I’m not going to go there" stance on negative ads by Schellinger. His campaign began airing an ad .jpg)
attacking Thompson on Social Security, Medicare, and trade votes. Thompson media consultant Chris Sautter said, "Another false assertion is that Jill supported trade deals. Jill voted against NAFTA and has consistently opposed bad trade deals. Schellinger’s reversal of his promise not to attack, made as recently as Sunday in an e-mail, is one of the fastest flip flops on record." Sautter said that ad is similar to one used against Thompson by the Republican National Committee in her 2002 race against Chris Chocola. Primary Status: Leans Thompson
Indiana Congressional
5TH CD: Republican: U.S. Rep. Dan Burton, Dr. John McGoff, Clayton Alfred. Democrat: Chester Kelsey, Mary Etta Ruley, Kenny Stall. 2008 Outlook: McGoff is running about 300 gross rating points per week on Indianapolis network affiliates. McGoff is also running about 500 radio ads a week. "We’ve focused a lot more on direct mail, and have been sending it out over the last 6 weeks," said Trevor Foughty. "This week, we’re doubling our mail universe size for our last 3 pieces." McGoff has raised $100,000 since January and will report $150,000 in net receipts on Thursday. The McGoff campaign says it has knocked on 8,000 doors in the last month, including 2,000 by the candidate himself. Primary status: Leans Burton
7TH CD: Democrats: U.S. Rep. Andre Carson, State Rep. Carolene Mays, State Rep. David Orentlicher, Dr. Woodrow Meyers, Joseph Stockett III, Frances Nelson Williams, Larry Ledford, Pierre Pullins. Republican: State Rep. Jon Elrod, Cat Ping, Lawrence Shouse. 2008 Outlook: Carson is expected to unveil an Obama endorsement TV ad on Thursday. It comes after a week of the Carson campaign not having a presence on the air, though he was running a previous ad last night. WISH-TV reported last week that Carson had to pull the ads because of cash flow issues. Carson’s endorsement of Obama apparently had a quid pro quo aspect. Carson also had to deny reports that his staff wasn’t drawing a paycheck. Myers has increased his personal spending in the 7th Congressional District race to $1.31 million, according to campaign finance disclosure reports (Indianapolis Star). House candidates who spend at least $350,000 of their own money have additional reporting requirements. Carson had $93,290 in his campaign account at the end of March and $26,326 in debts, according to his most recent disclosure report. Rep. Chris Van Hollen, the Maryland Democrat who heads the DCCC, said it’s still an open question whether the party will make similar independent expenditures to help Carson win the primary. But Van Hollen said the party is helping Carson raise money. "We’re working very hard to make sure he has the resources against a self-funder," Van Hollen said. "I think he’s going to pull it out." One of the questions posed at a Sunday night forum to Dr. Woody Myers was whether he was trying to buy the Democratic nomination (WTHR-TV). Myers explained, "I look at the money I have earned as proof that a young man who grew up at 2902 North Arsenal across from Douglas Park, attended IPS schools 56, 63, 74 and 80 and graduated from Shortridge High School all in IPS and who paid attention in class can do well," Myers said. Mays launched her air war on Monday with a 30-second commercial introducing her and outlining her objectives in the race (WTHR-TV). She was one of a number of the 7th District candidates who participated in a debate on race, religion and politics Sunday night. Myers has lent himself another $450,000 in order to fuel his bid in this race (Blue Indiana). That brings his total investment to over $1.2 million, and almost guarantees his on-the-air presence over the next few weeks. Word on the street is that Carolene Mays will also be hitting television screens across the 7th starting tomorrow. The campaign of U.S. Carson, struggling to compete with the self-financed campaign of Myers, raised $30,000 in special interest money from a variety of labor union PACs and the Indiana Muslim Political Action Committee, according to his latest filings with the FEC (Advance Indiana). Blogger Jacob Perry has filed a complaint with the FEC alleging that the campaign of 7th District Democratic candidate David Orentlicher violated federal contribution limits of $2,300 per election (Advance Indiana). He specifically identifies three violations in his complaint. Primary Status: Leans Carson
9TH CD: Republican: Mike Sodrel. Democrat: U.S. Rep. Baron Hill, Gretchen Clearwater, Lendall B. Terry, John Bottorff. 2008 Outlook: Sodrel announced that his campaign committee will show $308,643.18 cash on hand on its pre-primary report. “I’m grateful to have the support of so many individuals across this district,” said Sodrel. “Their support ensures that our campaign will have the necessary resources to wage a competitive race and convey our message of smaller government, lower taxes, strong national defense and commonsense Hoosier values.” The committee raised $262,601.75 during the first quarter of 2008. On the 2004 pre-primary report, the last year that Sodrel won, his committee raised $189,207.88 and showed $254,788.57 cash on hand. General Status: Tossup
Indiana General Assembly
HD1: Democrat: State Rep. Linda Lawson, Raymond L. Fletcher III. 2008 Outlook: Fletcher doesn’t see his disability as a hindrance. Fletcher was born without arms or kneecaps, but says his condition gives him a perspective of the hard times some people in Hammond face (Post-Tribune). "Because of my disability I live on a fixed income," the 31-year-old Fletcher said. "I understand more about the struggles of being on a fixed income than those currently in office." Fletcher earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Indiana University Northwest last December, and already he’s running for state office. The Democrat’s taking on Linda Lawson, 59, in next month’s primary. Lawson’s a formidable competitor. She’s been in the state House of Representatives District 1 seat 10 years. Fletcher said he brings new ideas to the table, and would do his part to address issues affecting the district, which includes most of Hammond and part of Munster. Primary Status: Leans Lawson.
HD3: Democrat: State Rep. Charlie Brown, Bryan Bullock. 2008 Outlook: When it came time to vote on a property tax reform bill, Charlie Brown knew property owners were clamoring for relief, but it could pose major trouble for cities and schools (Post-Tribune). Brown, the 3rd District’s 13-term representative in the Indiana General Assembly, said he sided with the property owners and voted for the bill. Whether they side with him will be determined May 6, when voters have a choice between Brown and Gary attorney Bryan Bullock. Bullock, 42, said Brown, 70, is out of touch with those voters. "Most of the actions that he takes are self-serving," Bullock said. Now that the property tax reform package has been passed, Bullock said, the next step will be to pass an amendment to the state’s constitution ensuring a 1 percent cap for homesteads, 2 percent cap for homeowners and 3 percent cap for businesses. That cap, Bullock said, is too lenient on businesses. "We are depriving local communities where these companies are located of tax revenue," Bullock said. Primary Status: Likely Brown
HD15: Republican: State Rep. Don Lehe, Richard Niemeyer, Lon Childress. 2008 Outlook: We’re keeping a close eye on this one. The Right to Work forces are taking aim at Lehe on behalf of Niemeyer. If Niemeyer wins, that would be a crushing blow to the House GOP, which believes that Lehe is the only Republican who can win in the fall when Myron Sutton is expected to mount a strong challenge. Primary Status: Leans Lehe.
HD19: Republican: Bill Johnson, Andrew Webster. Democrat: State. Rep. Shelli VanDenBurgh, Dennis Meeks. 2008 Outlook: Johnson, 54, said he is running because residents have been "hoodwinked" into focusing on property taxes while the government continues wasteful spending elsewhere (Times of Northwest Indiana). The Crown Point resident said he was pushed into running for office by a group of about 150 people who called themselves the Unhappy Taxpayers. "We have a problem," he said. "They’ve distracted us with property taxes while they do what they want at the other end." Webster, 45, said he would like to see a constitutional amendment cementing the property tax caps that have been laid out and approved. The Crown Point resident also said, if elected, he will focus on bringing "some economic stimulus back to this area." "We need to use the assets that we have in this area," he said. "We have highway systems, a railway system and water system … and I don’t think we’re taking advantage of that." Primary Status: Tossup
HD49: Republican: State Rep. John Ulmer, Wes Culver. 2008 Outlook: The Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Indiana Manufacturers Association, Indiana Right to Life, Indiana Associated Builders and Contractors, Indiana Family Action PAC, and the Indiana Insurance Institute all endorsed Culver. “One of the primary functions of the Indiana Chamber is to advance business and economic issues in our state Legislature. Wes Culver is a strong supporter of business, and he has the experience to back it up,” said Michael Davis, vice president of political affairs for the Indiana Chamber. “In contrast, Rep. Ulmer has voted for legislation which has actually made it harder for individuals to run and operate a business here in Indiana. Wes Culver is on the side of small business owners and families, and we believe he will do an excellent job of representing the people of House District 49.” Jim Banks with Indiana Right to Life and Indiana Family Action PAC said, “Wes Culver is a strong pro-family candidate. Unlike Representative John Ulmer, Wes Culver is 100% pro-life. We need people like Wes Culver in office who will go to Indianapolis and fight for Hoosier families.” Culver said, “I am thrilled with the overwhelming support from our local community and from the many prominent statewide organizations that have thought enough about my candidacy to lend their support. After several years of watching ‘politics as usual’ in Indianapolis, these outstanding statewide organizations understand that we need real change and strong, innovative leaders in office who are committed to our conservative Hoosier values. With this remarkable support I plan to aggressively work for change in Indianapolis while seeking opportunities to expand and grow our community here in Northern Indiana — making sure that our area is a great place to live, work and raise a family.” Raised in Middlebury, Culver has owned and operated numerous businesses including Prudential One Realty. Primary Status: Leans Culver.
HD90: Republican: State Rep. Mike Murphy, Matthew Hamner. 2008 Outlook: Hamner is using the immigration issue as a wedge to make inroads on Murphy. He’s got a lot of yardsigns while Murphy is working a hard door-to-door campaign. Primary Status: Leans Murphy.
SD21 Caucus: State Rep. Jim Buck, Tipton County Commissioner Monte Henderson, Westfield School Trustee David Mueller, Rick Skiles. Caucus Outlook: Buck goes into Saturday’s SD21 caucus as the favorite to succeed Jeff Drozda, who resigned his Senate seat last Monday (Howey Politics Indiana). Buck appears to have the support of Republican county chairmen in Howard, Tipton and Boone counties. Howard County Chairman Craig Dunn told HPI that Buck has commitments from at least 44 Howard County committeemen and 20 from other counties. "That should be enough for him," Dunn said. Former Kokomo mayor Matt McKillip is backing Mueller. Former Sen. Drozda told HPI that he is neutral. Caucus Status: Likely Buck
SD42: Republican: Jeff Sponsel, Max Ellison, Jean Leising, John Heaton. Democrat: Warren Goodrich. 2008 Outlook: Some senior citizens living on a fixed income are finding it hard to make ends meet, even in Central Indiana . But Sponsel hope to reverse this trend by authoring legislation that would freeze property taxes for qualified homeowners 65 and over. Modeled after similar programs offered in New Jersey and Tennessee, Sponsel’s Property Tax Reimbursement Program would reimburse eligible senior citizens and disabled persons for any property tax increases. The amount of the reimbursement would be the difference between the amount of property taxes that were due and paid in the "base year" (the first year that all the eligibility requirements were met) and the amount due and paid in the current year for which reimbursement is claimed, provided the amount paid in the current year was greater. "Home ownership is a sacred part of the American dream, and no one should ever fear that they are going to be literally taxed out of their home," stated Sponsel. "That’s why I support a plan to freeze property taxes for seniors to protect them from the risk of future tax increases. We need to do everything we can to keep their property taxes down." We believe this race comes down to Leising and Sponsel, with Leising having an edge at this point. Primary Status: Leans Leising.
Indiana Statewides
Attorney General: Republican: Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas, Deputy Attorney Gen. Greg Zoeller. Democrat: Linda Pence. 2008 Outlook: We continue to get indicators that Gov. Daniels is likely to back Mayor Costas. One hint: during Major Moves, Costas was an ardent supporter, something we’re told the governor appreciated and hasn’t forgotten. Convention status: TOSSUP
Tags: Andre Carson, John Ulmer, Wes Culver, Woody Myers
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