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CLARK SEES WATERMAN ‘IMPULSIVE’ CANDIDACY: In a published report, State Sen. John Waterman said he is a better choice than Republican incumbent Gov. Mitch Daniels or Democratic nominee Jill Long Thompson (Corbin, Evansville Courier & Press)..jpg)
It is a story that Howey Politics Indiana broke a week ago and is just now beginning to catch notice of other media. "There’s a lot of disgruntled people all across the state, not just Southern Indiana," he said. "I’m more in touch with common people. I struggle like everybody else does, living check to check, and I know the pain and suffering people are going through." The notion that Waterman would challenge a governor of his own party left political observers scratching their heads. "I get the sense that this was a very late decision, maybe an impulsive decision," state Republican Party Chairman Murray Clark said. Although Clark, a former lawmaker, considers Waterman an old friend, he doesn’t know what led Waterman to such a step. "I wish he would have called me first." Meanwhile, the possibility of a Republican senator diluting the Republican vote comes as a potential boost to Long Thompson. Her press secretary, Jeff Harris, said an independent candidacy "speaks volumes about the vulnerabilities of Mitch Daniels." For independent candidates, the first obstacle is ballot access. Waterman would need to send 32,742 signatures of registered voters to the Secretary of State’s office by a June 30 deadline. That works out to gathering 862 signatures each day in the 38 days remaining in order to qualify. "This is a formidible task, to say the least," Clark said. "Until you get into it, you don’t realize how difficult it is. Having a month to do it is not much time." "John’s an independent thinker," Clark said, describing the senator as "strong-willed" and "a unique political character." Clark said he has heard Waterman express concern both about the elimination of township assessors contained in Daniels’ property-tax relief package that the Legislature passed in March, as well as the larger elimination of township government proposed in the Kernan-Shepard Commission recommendations, which could be heard in 2009. Despite any misgivings, Waterman this year voted for the final version of the property-tax relief, records show. In 2006, Waterman also voted for the Major Moves bill that leased the northern Indiana toll road to a foreign consortium to generate funds to build Interstate 69 in Southwestern Indiana. The Indiana Election Division office said that as of Thursday afternoon, it had not received any fund-raising paperwork from Waterman for his exploratory candidacy.
PRICE REACTS: John Price, a conservative attorney who has run for statewide office as a Republican and now leads the Indiana Property Tax Repeal Alliance, said Waterman is highly respected among "real people, real voters" for his ability to remedy constituents’ problems (Evansville Courier & Press).
HPI DAILY WIRE RETURNS ON MAY 27: Howey Politics Indiana will not publisher the HPI Daily Wire on Memorial Day. We will return on Tuesday, May 27. Have a safe holiday.
BUYER BLAMES CONGRESS FOR GAS CRISIS: Indiana Congressman Steve Buyer (R-04) says Congress is responsible for the soaring cost of gasoline. Our partners at Network Indiana/WIBC report Buyer says Congress repeatedly prevents the building of new refineries and discourages any bill that calls for deep sea drilling (Inside Edge). Gas prices in many Indiana communities are hovering at the $4-per-gallon mark or have already surpassed that amount.Buyer says it is a "world supply and demand issue."
PENCE ASKS ‘WHAT’S IT GOING TO TAKE?’: U.S. Rep. Mike Pence gave the following speech today on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, urging Congress to take action to lessen dependence on foreign oil and to give the American people greater access to more domestic sources of oil (Howey Politics Indiana). This morning in my hometown of Columbus, Indiana, gasoline hit $3.99 a gallon, just shy of $4.00. So I rise this morning to ask my colleagues: ‘What’s it gonna to take? What’s it gonna to take to get this Congress to take action to lessen our dependence on foreign oil?’ Democrats think we can tax our way to lower gas prices, or this week, sue our way to lower gas prices. But the American people know the only way to lessen our dependence on foreign oil is to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. Only by drilling in an environmentally responsible way on American soil and off American shores can the American people increase global supply and reduce the price of oil. As Memorial Day weekend approaches, and as Hoosiers headed to the lake see gasoline prices blow past $4.00 a gallon, I urge my fellow Americans, after $4.00 a gallon, after years of inaction, ask this Congress: ‘What’s it gonna to take to give the American people more access to American oil?’”
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