Republicans Would Elect that Indicted Ham Sandwich in Indiana Right Now

WIBC Morning and Midday host Tony Katz blasted former Democratic nominee for Governor, Jennifer McCormick for being out of touch with local issues on one of his shows. He claimed that she is out of touch with Indiana issues and cares more about things like Project 2025 links than what goes on here in the state. 

This comes after McCormick called out Timothy Wesco's ridiculous bill that could conceivably lock someone in a marriage if they have children and cannot produce a witness to testify to the "irretrievable breakdown of the marriage" among other things. It's House Bill 1684 if you're interested. McCormick linked that to parts of Project 2025.

That made Tony Katz apoplectic...as he often is when not smoking a stogie (and don't try to take away his stogies). Katz said, "This is why you lost. You’re uninspiring as as the kids would say, you’re boring. Most importantly, you are interested in national progressive claptrap and not being focused on Hoosiers."

We can talk about McCormick as a candidate. I think she ran a pretty darn good campaign against Micah Beckwi...er...Mike Braun for Governor, but Indiana, specifically the Indiana GOP, has a darn good track record of electing its nominees to state office. That includes a recent run of some real humdingers! Richard Mourdock, Charlie White, Todd Rokita, Diego Morales, Curtis Hill, Micah Beckwith...should I go on? 

It took a "Mourdock Moment" to help elect Joe Donnelly to the U.S. Senate in 2012, and I'm not even sure that would matter anymore in today's political climate. Had Richard Mourdock said that a woman who conceived a child as a result of a sexual assault was something "God  intended" in 2024, he might be a U.S. Senator. I think it certainly sounds like something that might come out of Micah Beckwith's mouth.

Jennifer McCormick didn't lose because she was wrong on the issues. Jennifer McCormick lost because, unlike the previous time she ran and won statewide office, she wasn't a Republican. That's the bottom line. Indiana Republicans would elect a ham sandwich if it ran on a statewide ticket even if that ham sandwich was the proverbial one that was indicted by a grand jury.

That's just where we are right now in Indiana politics.

Opportunity Knocks, Will the Democrats Answer?

The Indiana Republican Party is going to you know where in a handmaid's tale...er...handbasket, and the Indiana Democratic Party stands ready to scoop up the opportunity and dunk it in the basketball ring.

So...um, about that.

Opportunity has not just knocked. It's kicked the door in. As a Democrat, part-time blogger and political observer/hack, I have to wonder if anyone's home.

Yeah, the GOP has nominated self-proclaimed Christian Nationalist Micah Beckwith as its Lieutenant Governor candidate. He pairs with Mike Braun about as well as a tie on Mike's campaign buttondown. Braun is the sensible one on the ticket, which is scary since he once questioned the Supreme Court's ruling on Loving vs. Virginia. The landmark case that prohibited discrimination against interracial couples wanting to marry.

Braun, a U.S. Senator whose main accomplishment in office so far is to get on TV as much as possible, is running on a ticket with the vulnerabilities of a computer still running Windows 95. There's Jim Banks, the crazy U.S. Representative and Trump syncopant who seems to think the WNBA officiating is cause for a Congressional inquiry. There's Todd Rokita who is, well, Todd Rokita. We all know him by this point. That brings us back to Beckwith who is about as qualified to run a state as I am to run a Weightwatchers aka WW franchise. 

This should all be easy, right? Just point out who these people are and tout your superior candidates. 

On the Dem side, there's Jennifer McCormick, the former Republican State Schools Superintendent who lost her position due to the elimination of direct elections for that position. There's Valerie McCray, a clinical psychologist, who wants to be your next U.S. Senator. She's the first Black woman to sit on a statewide ticket in Indiana. 

Then, at the convention, voters will have to choose between attorney Destiny Wells, a combat veteran, and attorney Beth White, the former Marion County Clerk and Deputy Mayor of Indianapolis, to get the candidate for Attorney General to face Rokita.

That also leads us to the Democratic Lieutenant Governor candidate to run with McCormick. Uh...well...you see, what happened was...we'll get back to you about that. Bob Kern is running at the convention, and he may actually be the nominee since no one else seems to want to step up and run. Kern, a perennial candidate, has an interesting past that he never hides from but would be no doubt fodder for the GOP's attacks should he get the nomination. 

So, here we are. A golden opportunity to do something in the state of Indiana as Democrats and...uh...the party doesn't have its ducks in a row. It's not surprising. Since the Dems last held state office, and even before that, it's been a struggle. Evan Bayh got pummeled by Todd Young. Joe Donnelly got retired by Braun. Pete Buttigieg left the state for Michigan leaving his former chief of staff, Mike Schmuhl, in charge. There are good people in place, but my fellow Dems just don't have anything together right now.

With the dumpster fire that's happening on the right in the Republican Party at this time, Democrats MUST muster some defense. McCormick is a very good candidate. I just fear that the infrastructure that used to be strong in this state on the Democratic side has been lost to time. Our Democratic Party that used to punch above its weight seems to lost that fighting edge. 

It's time to get it back. We cannot see another election where Todd Rokita, Mike Braun, Jim Banks and now, Micah Beckwith, go unchallenged. Get your house in order, Dems! In the end, the calculus still favors the GOP, but they have to at least know we were here and we're not going to take this lying down.

Civility Rules Night in Indiana Gubernatorial Debate

Indiana Gubernatorial Candidates
Eric Holcomb (R), Woody Myers (D), Donald Rainwater (L)
Photos from Official Sources or Campaigns

The Indiana Gubernatorial Debate was Tuesday night, and there was something there for everyone. I'm not sure it changes the race much, but it did provide an opportunity to see the three candidates out there pushing their own values and views.

As far as the red meat goes, there really was little in the way of insults or interruptions fired at each other. By and large, it was an hour of candidates following the rules of the debate and a moderator named Andrew Downs who did a great job keeping the hour moving.

The biggest area of disagreement came on COVID-19 restrictions. Governor Eric Holcomb defended his record on the COVID-19 response despite the fact that since the state moved to Stage 5 of the "Back on Track" plan the cases, deaths and hospitalizations have been on the rise. Holcomb touted his partial shutdown of the state and the so-called mask mandate (which is less of a mandate and more of a pretty pretty please) as reasons why Indiana's dealing with the pandemic well. 

Dr. Woody Myers, the Democratic nominee, was the only candidate to say he would go further than what's going on right now in the state. Holcomb said he'd put restrictions in place and let the courts decide later on those restrictions in order to keep Hoosiers safe. He promised a real mask mandate with teeth if he's elected Governor and promised to listen to scientists. Myers is, of course, a medical doctor.

Then, there was Donald Rainwater. The Libertarian candidate, Rainwater seemed to call into question the science of mask wearing and mask mandates. Unsurprisingly, many of his supporters have been very critical of this part of Governor Holcomb's response. Rainwater also said that COVID-19 had not caused businesses to go out of business in Indiana. He, instead, blamed that on Holcomb's response to the virus. 

Rainwater and Holcomb sparred a bit over the duties granted by the Indiana General Assembly to the Governor of Indiana. Myers criticized the Governor for not calling a special session of the Indiana General Assembly to deal with the pandemic.

Holcomb painted a rosy picture of things in Indiana on the economy touting the number job commitments companies have said they'll bring to Hoosiers. Several times, he praised state agencies for their response to environmental issues and management of the pandemic. Myers and Rainwater both used the opportunity to attack the Governor's record on these topics. 

In his opening and closing statement, Myers promised to reappoint Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jennifer McCormick to the soon-to-be appointed position. McCormick has endorsed Myers over her fellow Republican, Holcomb. Myers also spent time hammering away at Holcomb and the GOP's record on teacher pay and education. Rainwater promised to return schools to local control. Holcomb touted the one-time only pay raises many teachers in many districts negotiated and the commission he formed on teacher pay as reasons why he's dealing with that issue. Holcomb has refused to release the findings of that commission until after the election. 

Guns were also a meaty issue in this debate. Myers said he did not support constitutional carry and endorsed background checks. He also talked about his experience as an ER physician dealing with the effects of gun violence. He touted his Moms Demand Action endorsement. Holcomb noted that Indiana has made it very easy to get a gun permit by making it a free application process. Rainwater came out in complete support of constitutional carry.

Again, it was a very good debate, but I didn't see any Mourdock moments. It's likely that this did not change any hearts or minds other than to make you feel really good about the candidate you were already supporting.

Bray Threatens School Funding Over School Safety Decisions

Rod Bray
Official State Photo

To say being a school teacher or administrator right now is a tough job is an understatement…let alone being a student, parent or guardian.

As the school year begins, schools find themselves trying to weave their ways through scores of potential landmines that could have devastating effects on a community and Hoosier families. 

In general, a lack of guidance from state officials and a lack of anyone wishing to make a decision has created a vacuum where local schools have to cobble together the best information they can and make decisions based on those facts as the COVID-19 pandemic slogs on.

In short, these critical decisions rely on consistent and clear communication from the state. It's no time for amateur hour.

Some counties like Marion County have had an involved local health department. While Dr. Virginia Caine and Mayor Joe Hogsett have made some moves that have not been well-communicated ahead of time, they have been pretty rock solid in their guidance that when it becomes unsafe to keep schools open that they won’t hesitate to close them. They did it in March, and they have clear guidance for Marion County Schools that's based on science and data. This is the kind of guidance that local school boards and superintendents need to make good decisions. 

Most of all, they need to know that decision makers in government have their backs in no uncertain terms. The last thing they need are mixed messages or unclear guidance.

School leaders were shuddering to think what might happen to funding this summer as the state announced major budget cuts to deal with the budget shortfall. Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb alleviated concerns by saying that schools would receive 100 percent funding as planned for the 2020/2021 school year. With that guidance, schools have moved forward in good faith. 

Late last night, the Governor's guidance was muddied as a powerful General Assembly voice decided to weigh in.

Senate President Pro Tempore Rod Bray announced in a letter that public schools not beginning the school year with an in person option would see a funding cut of 15 percent per student. With schools already rolling in many communities and some deciding to go 100 percent virtual, Bray's letter drew broad criticism. The ISTA, AFT, Senate Democrats, State School Superintendent Jennifer McCormick, Woody Myers and others were quick to criticize the move. 

One person has been silent: Governor Holcomb.

This is not the kind of guidance our schools need right now. Bray wants to punish schools who make decisions based on health and safety. When approached by the Indy Star on what all this meant for schools, Bray could not provide any details.

Senator Bray clearly did not think out this position, and he clearly does not understand how his proposed funding cuts will affect districts that are already in session or may be closed by health orders. 

I bet he doesn’t care, either. 

Bray's letter is essentially that “OPEN THE SCHOOLS” tweet President Trump mindlessly tweets in the form of a poorly thought out policy, and Governor Holcomb seems good with it.

That's a sad state of affairs, folks.

UPDATE: Per the Fort Wayne Journal Courier's Niki Kelly, the Governor has finally commented reiterating his support for 100 percent funding for schools.