He’s just visiting, after all. The lobbyists have paid for him to take lots of trips and play lots of golf.
Today Jim Banks received a HUGE endorsement from former Indiana Governor Otis Bowen M.D.
Congrats Jim on this great endorsement!
March 17, 2010
Governor Otis Bowen Endorses Jim Banks for State Senate
“I have known Jim Banks for many years and I’m confident he would be a superb legislator. Jim would be dedicated to doing whatever would be required providing it were right.”
Otis R. Bowen, M.D.
Governor of Indiana,1973-1981
You can read the endorsement here
This document (SEIU Battleground Poll) is a memo detailing Democrats and Independents Concerns Regarding Congress in Colorado, New Hampshire and Nevada. The Benenson Strategy Group conducted a poll on behalf of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to figure out what Democrats need to do to stay in power through the 2010 election. After reading through the document, I came up with 3 trends repeated in their answers.
- Democrats and Independents don’t like deal cutting.
- Democrats and Independents haven’t seen a change since the Democrats took power.
- Democrats and Independents don’t like to see narrow interests taking precedent of the greater good.
So Democrats and Independents don’t like deal cutting? According to the poll takers “one key element to [winning in November] will be demonstrating that individual Democrats, unlike Republicans, are placing what’s best for the country ahead of narrow individual interests.” Excuse me? Allow me to use health care to demonstrate who is putting narrow individual interests first with a little help from a list circulated by Congressman John Shadegg (R) AZ.
Current special deals in the health care bill:
(Read more after the leap)
This past weekend, Don Bates Jr. was interviewed by Pat Miller on Ft. Wayne’s big talker, AM1190 WOWO. Don’s working hard around the state earning support and talking about what needs to happen in Washington. If you’ve been interested in the Republican U.S. Senate candidates, and been wanting to learn more about who Don is, what he is all about, and what he wants to do on Capitol Hill for Hoosiers, take a minute and listen to the interview.
For your enjoyment all of the commercials have been edited out. Full disclosure: I’m a hack for Don in this race, and I’m looking forward to seeing him earn a primary victory in May. It’s time for Republicans to take back this seat!
If you want to learn more, head over to the Bates Blog.
Indianapolis, Indiana – Hoosier Access is partnering with the Marion County and surrounding counties Young Republican groups to host a debate of the GOP senate candidates Saturday April 10, 2010 at 10:00am (location TBA). The candidates participating in the debate include former Senator Dan Coats, State Senator Marlin Stutzman, financial advisor Don Bates, Jr. and local businessman Richard Behney. Former Congressman John Hostettler has also been invited, but has not yet confirmed his attendance.
This is the first event partnership between Hoosier Access and the Indiana Federation of Young Republicans (IFYR). State IFYR Chairman Daniel Kinnamon said, “The Indiana Federation of Young Republicans is excited to be co-hosting this event with Hoosier Access. There are many issues unique to the 40 and under demographic which our next US Senator with have to address. How will the next Senator address the issues of deficit spending, jobs and national security? We look forward to a healthy positive debate, allowing the candidates to show their differences, and allowing the central Indiana population to get a close look at the next U.S. Senator.”
Hoosier Access will be also broadcasting the event through a live video webcast at www.hoosieraccess.com.
Hoosier Access Co-founder Josh Gillespie said, “More and more people are getting their information from the internet and this debate provides a means for Republican voters from central Indiana and from all over the state to get information on the candidates first hand through a live webcast even if they can’t attend the event in person.”
The County Young Republican groups that are participating include: Boone, Hancock, Hamilton, Hendricks, Johnson and Marion.
This event is open to all regardless of age.
*UPDATE* 3/17/10 – Former Congressman John Hostettler has confirmed his participation.
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This Monday we are proud to present Cindy Kirchhofer (R) for HD 89 against Democrat John Barnes.This area includes Beech Grove and parts of Perry, Franklin and Warren Township.You can see a full map of HD 89 here.
Bio:
Cindy has spent much of her life in and near House District 89.
Cindy was raised in Perry Township and graduated from Perry Meridian High School. She spent a great deal of her younger years in Warren Township where much of her family lived and attended school. Currently, Cindy works for Saint Francis Hospital as a paralegal. She was raised to be a hard worker, having held two jobs for as long as she can remember. Cindy taught her daughter, who is now grown, the value of hard work, education, and the importance of public service. Like so many parents in the district, she worked hard to help her daughter afford a college education.
She is humbled to think of her many family members who served this country in different branches of the military.
Local government experience and common sense solutions are the foundation of her record of public service, and she will bring that record of progress to the Statehouse.
Cindy currently serves the people of Perry Township on the Government Board and has previously served two terms as its Chairperson. Cindy has always fought hard to keep service levels high while keeping costs to the taxpayers low.
Since 2006, she has also served on the Beech Grove Redevelopment Commission, where she works with the community and its leaders to improve Beech Grove for its residents and visitors without raising taxes.
Cindy stands with good people just like you, who want their lives to be a little easier and who just want the government to do its job well.
Read more after the leap
Obama’s welcome to hold fundraisers for Baron, of course, so long as they’re far from southern Indiana.
But as for coming here to campaign? Not so much.
I guess we can’t look forward to Obama coming to Bloomington for some campaign rally later this year.
It’s just as well. There’s a lot to suggest (in recent elections in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Virginia) that such campaign rallies don’t help the Democratic candidate any.
Moderate House Democrats facing potentially difficult re-elections this fall have a message for President Barack Obama: Don’t call us, we’ll call you.
Interviews with nearly a dozen congressional Democrats on the ballot this year reveal a decided lack of enthusiasm for having Obama come to their districts to campaign for them—the most basic gauge of a president’s popularity.
Some cite the president’s surely busy schedule. Others point to a practice of not bringing in national politicians to appear on their behalf. While these members aren’t necessarily attempting to distance themselves from the administration, there is nevertheless a noticeable reluctance to embrace him by a certain class of incumbent now that the president’s approval rating has fallen to a new low in the latest Gallup survey, 46 percent.
Asked directly whether he would invite the president, [North Dakota Congressman Earl] Pomeroy replied: “If the president of the United States wants to come to North Dakota, he’s always invited.”
Rep. Baron Hill (D-Ind.) offered the same generic, if unenthusiastic, welcome of Obama to southern Indiana.
“If he wants to come to my district, he’s welcome to come,” said Hill, who could face off against former GOP Rep. Mike Sodrel. “I don’t plan on asking him to come because I know he’s a busy guy.”
Hill did, though, point out that he had already had a fundraiser with Obama.
But when reminded it was in Indianapolis and not his district, he only said, “Uh huh.”
There’s an eager invitation if I’ve ever seen one.
Another day, another congressional district, another poll, another huge advantage for one candidate in a crowded field. This time it’s the 9th congressional district and the advantage goes to Mike Sodrel.
According to a poll conducted by Wilson Research Strategies:
Mike Sodrel leads his primary GOP opponents by a wide margin. On a ballot test among 300 likely Republican primary voters in the Ninth District, Sodrel is ahead with 46% compared to Travis Hankins’ 19% and Todd Young’s 13%. Twenty-two percent of voters are still undecided. Among those 46% of voters for Sodrel, 52% identified themselves as “very conservative” voters.
Much like in the 5th congressional district poll, even if one of the challengers picked up the entire undecided percentages the incumbent (or in this case the former incumbent) still comes out on top.
Granted there are till 7+ weeks to go and ground can be gained or lost on all sides. That said, it looks like the 9th is preparing for Rocky 5.
Voters were polled from February 28-March 3, 2010.
Yesterday I wrote:
Coats Campaign – where are you?
For the record, I didn’t like the idea of former Senator Dan Coats coming back from Virginia last month to save us from ourselves and retake the Senate seat he left many years ago. Since I’ve been open about my distaste for Washington insiders attempting to make this call for Hoosiers, I was approached with some insights casting light on a campaign that is having a hard time moving forward.
The details are sketchy and heresay, and as I’ve been told before “you’ll print whatever fits your pre-conceived narrative.” So I’ve said it upfront, the Coats campaign doesn’t feel right to me. Here’s what I’m hearing, if I’m wrong say so … (see link above if you want details)
I was corrected on a couple fronts, namely that the RSS feed on Coats’ new campaign site is now working and that the Coats campaign did not mean to infer that the Governor had endorsed when they quoted him in an email yesterday. They know, as we all have been told, that Governor Daniels is not picking or endorsing in this race. I was able to confirm that the reported drubbing at the Warsaw Tea Party is correct and that so far Mr Coats is not confirmed to attend any more tea party meetings. (Fox News story on details)
What is it with southern Indiana Democrats lately? Warrick County GOP Chairman Rick Martin has the latest in shady Democrat antics.
At Thursday’s meeting of the Warrick County Election Board, Democrat board member Dennis Sullivan made a statement that he had no intentions of supporting the continued use of the satellite voting location at the Ohio Township Public Library for early, absentee-in-person voting for the 2010 election. Democrat chairman Terry White also made statements to this effect in a number of communications with Warrick County Clerk Sarah Topper. Because a unanimous vote of the Election Board is required by law to approve the use of a Satellite Office, it appears that the 26,000 plus voters in Ohio Township will be denied the access to polls that was extended to them in 2008.
…
The Democrats’ refusal to allow absentee-in-person voting at the Ohio Township Library is a complete reversal of policies instituted under former Democrat Clerk Shannon Weisheit. The satellite office in Ohio Township was designed to expand access to all voters in Warrick County, regardless of political party affiliation. The fact that Warrick County had a 300% increase in absentee voting in 2008 as compared to 2006 is a clear indication that the citizens of Warrick County want this office to remain open. The Warrick County Republican Party supports efforts to offer satellite voting in Ohio Township in 2010 to provide greater access to all voters.
On the heels of the largest election turnout in years, I find it odd that Democrats on Warrick County’s election board are seeking to suppress the vote by denying satellite voting access to thousands of registered voters. Normally this is a ploy that Democrats would love to play on Republicans, what with voter suppression usually a part of the Democrats platform of fear mongering against Republicans. If Warrick County Democrats get their way, they would be the ones preventing easy access to voting.
What can be done? According to Chairman Martin “On Wednesday, March 10 at 4:00pm in the Commissioner’s Meeting Room in Boonville, the Election Board will reconvene to take a formal vote on whether to keep democracy, and the satellite office, alive, or revert to a system where voter access to the polls was limited.” Sounds like a perfect opportunity to get your voice heard.
I know it has been a few weeks since I had a Candidate Monday post, but with a busy schedule on my end and the candidates end we do miss each other. So from here on out, we will try to have two candidates a week posted, Candidate Monday and Candidate Friday, that way I can get all of these properly covered before the primary.
This week we are focusing on Cheryl Musgrave (R) who is running in Indiana State House District 77 down in the Evansville, Indiana area against Democrat Gail Riecken. You can see the full map of the district here.
Read more after the leap
