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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIBJ doesn’t endorse candidates for political office, but we are certainly willing to cheer the Indiana Republican Party’s decision last month to nominate someone other than incumbent Diego Morales for secretary of state.
The party opted instead for Max Engling, who has served as central Indiana regional director and adviser to U.S. Sen. Jim Banks since early last year. That was a smart move considering that the Democrats have nominated Beau Bayh, the third-generation candidate in a family that has won many races in Indiana, and that former Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard is seeking to run as an independent.
Just a few months ago, it seemed possible — even likely — that Republicans might nominate Morales again. He had the endorsement of several key leaders in the party.
But then Ballard, who was a relatively moderate Republican when he was mayor, announced he would run and started collecting the thousands of signatures needed to get on the ballot. And Bayh — the grandson of former U.S. Sen. Birch Bayh and son of Evan Bayh, a former senator, governor and secretary of state — appeared on a clear path to earn the Democratic Party’s nomination. And Republicans got worried.
So when Engling signed up to seek the GOP nomination, Banks and Secretary of State Todd Rokita pulled their endorsements of Morales and backed Engling, which gave him an easy victory at the party’s convention.
Typically, Republicans win statewide office easily. But Morales was going to put that to the test. It’s easy to imagine the ads that could have been run against him, especially given a recent report that found the state has paid for some of his wife’s travel, a violation of state policy. And Ballard’s entry into the race could have easily split the GOP vote and led to a Bayh victory. Libertarian Lauri Shillings is also running.
Hoosiers should thank Ballard for jumping into the fray and forcing the Republican Party’s hand.
The moves set up an interesting race in November.
Beau Bayh, an attorney and former U.S. Marine, has youth (he’s just 30 years old) and a family name that once was considered unstoppable in Indiana. (Evan Bayh did lose his last race — a bid to return to the U.S. Senate — to Republican Todd Young, who continues to serve in the Senate.) Beau looks to be a moderate like his father.
Ballard, 71, is also a former U.S. Marine who unseated Democrat Bart Peterson to become Indianapolis mayor in 2007, despite being essentially unknown and being outspent considerably. Ballard won a second term in 2011. To get on the ballot as an independent, Ballard needs 37,000 certified signatures. He announced this week he had submitted more than 74,000 (acknowledging that some will be repeats or could be disqualified).
Engling, 39, describes himself as a Christian and a conservative who earned a master’s degree in national defense and strategic planning as a civilian at the U.S. Naval War College. He worked for Republicans in the U.S. House, for Beck’s Hybrids and then for Banks. He promises “zero compromise” on conservative values.
These are three worthy candidates. We look forward to the debate.•
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