…that Jackie Walorski, conservative state legislator extraordinaire and suspected Secretary of State candidate, will not be running for Secretary of State after all. I have a call in to confirm, and will hopefully update this post as soon as I hear back.
A run by Walorski would have split the sort of anti-Indianapolis, anti-establishment, pro-conservative winning convention coalition pioneered last June to such stunning and decisive effect by Greg Zoeller and his campaign. Her candidacy, coupled with that of Charlie White, would have fractured that coalition (at least to the extent that it could even be reassembled or replicated; not that Charlie White running doesn’t similarly fracture the losing Costas coalition also).
On top of the “Jackie’s out” rumors, I’ve now started hearing buzz about a candidacy for Secretary of State by Mitch’s hand-picked Republican State Chairman, Murray Clark (one of my favorite people).
Murray Clark versus Charlie White, assuming that White were to stay in (I’m told that he won’t get out and is in it to win it) and Murray Clark would run as rumor has it (Clark has always wanted to grow up to be governor and SOS would be a useful stepping stone), would bring to mind echoes of Zoeller versus Costas, a redux of last year’s particularly divisive and heated–though abbreviated–convention fight.
This is absolutely the most ridiculous, stupid thing I have ever heard of.
Charlie is the only person out meeting people, attending lincoln day dinners, shaking hands at buffet lines and getting county chairman endoresements.
Also Scott, Murray is one of the best state party chairman in the country-that’s a fact, he’s raised money and built an un-stopable political machine in Indiana and this past election cycle proved it.
Call him what you want, Mitch’s boy, Mitch’s hand picked guy…but he knows how to win elections and raise money and unlike a former 9th CD chair, he does it without any BS.
The only thing I’ll argue with “anonymous’s” statement is, if the Indiana GOP is an unstoppable force, then how come we don’t have the Indiana House? And don’t pawn that off on the HRCC. They are under the jurisdiction of State Party. I’m not even going to be bringing up last year’s convention fight.
As for Charlie, I think you mistake Scott’s take on ths situation. He actually (from at least what I can tell) supports Charlie. As do I. I like Jackie, but I think Charlie is overwhelmingly qualified for SoS.
Assuming that Murray Clark is such a great state party chairman (which I do not for a moment concede), one would hope that it’s just one of those lasts-a-day rumors and that he’s not running for Secretary of State.
The “unstoppable political machine” that Murray Clark has supposedly built wasn’t able to get us back a majority in the House of Representatives. It wasn’t able to beat any of the freshmen Democratic congressmen. It couldn’t stop Indiana for voting for a Democrat for president for the first time in 44 years. That’s hardly an “unstoppable political machine” from my perspective.
If party chairmen are so important and Murray Clark was so good, then he should have been able to accomplish at least one of those things, particularly since it’s quite obvious that Mitch didn’t need any help, so there was plenty of effort to spare on other priorities.
Marvelous job Scott, either you totally made up the Murray Clark rumor to make a point or he’s actually considering it … to which I’d say good. All hurt feelings aside, the Zoeller v. Costas convention was good for the party. Let’s do it again.
“built an un-stopable political machine in Indiana and this past election cycle proved it.”
Won the Presidential race continuing GOP Presidential wins since 1964 … oh wait no the Dems carried Indiana this time breaking the 44 year streak.
Won back the House so bills such as SJR1 could pass, Nope. Same for the much touted K-S which is now D-O-A according to Michael O’Brien’s Twitter feed.
Won in Marion County. Oh wait the GOP got swept 60-40 across the board, sans the Governor’s race in the election just after the GOP takeover of City-County government. Even lost two House seats 89 and 97, and lost a winnable seat in 86 with the departure of David Orentlicher.
Unstoppable political machine, huh?
Is that you, Ted?
“unstoppable poltiical machine”
How can you say that with a straight face? Murray Clark is the weakest eunuch the INGOP has ever had. He’s a shill for the firms and everyone laughs about it.
“Murry Clark…best state party chair in the country”? Are you drunk? I would not go anywhere close to saying that….I agree with Mike when he says of all the races he has lost….we need new leadership in this State and in Marion County…hands down!
Murray should know better. But that is the Indianapolis problem, they don’t know better. There are all sorts of interesting people with contracts that get nervous if the “wrong people” run. Both parties have this problem.
If the the Republicans want to win the house they need to change things. That starts with putting people in charge who have had tigher races outside of Indy.
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