Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Senate District 30 Roundup
The race to succeed Sen. Teresa Lubbers is coming down to three primary contenders. City-County Councilor Ryan Vaughn is backed by party leaders. Former City-County Councilor Scott Schneider, who is a thorn in the side to these same party leaders, is mounting a strong challenge for the seat. His family's long-standing ties in the Washington Township should help him. Also, former State Rep. John Ruckelhaus is making a serious run to win the seat. Ruckelhaus lost a contested GOP primary to Lubbers back in the 1990s despite being the party's slated candidate. Ruckelhaus is a lobbyist for the cable TV industry. Vaughn, also a lobbyist at Barnes & Thornburg, has told party folks he will leave his job at Barnes & Thornburg if he is appointed to Lubbers seat. The consensus building is that Schneider will become the candidate of the disenfranchised outsiders who want to shake up the Marion County GOP. Whoever is chosen for the seat is likely to hold it for many years to come. The new senator will not have to face voters until 2012. A new map likely drawn by a Republican Senate majority will carve out a district highly favorable to the seat holder, making a primary contest the only viable option for ousting anyone appointed to this seat. A party caucus to fill the seat will likely occur in early June.
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7 comments:
That Vaughn is supported by party leaders, should be a huge red flag to any voter.
Ryan Vaughn is quite a disappointment.
Scott Schneider is the choice in that district. He's a solid guy, someone who isn't about to carry the water for a Tom John or Bob Grand. He would be the best Senator out of that district in my lifetime.
I don't know if Gary will support him because of his socially conservative views, but he's an independent thinker and not about to be manipulated by others.
Paul, I don't live in that district so I don't have a vote in the race. I just despise legislators resigning their seat right after they are re-elected as Lubbers is doing and handing the decision to a handful of precinct committeepersons, most of whom are appointed to their jobs and not elected by the voters. I think that process taints whoever is eventually chosen. I favor special elections to fill legislative seats as a way of ending this increasing trend of legislators quitting their seat mid-term.
I agree that there should be special elections to fill vacant seats. Gerrymandering should be outlawed as well.
Wonder why Vaughn feels he needs to shed his job to represent a Senate District, but not to represent a Council District?
"Indianapolis Water Company officials are paying a penalty of at least $85 million as a consequence of its decision to issue a form of derivatives, interest rate swap notes..."
And who gets to repay that $85MILLION? Along with all of the OTHER rate hikes, tax hikes, etc. etc. etc.?????
GUESS! It ain't ACORN.
AI,
I totally agree with your comments regarding filling hese vacancies.
I really want to see an independent thinker in there. Scott is a conservative from top to bottom, including very socially conservative. (He'll definitiely vote against same sex marriage for example...of course Ryan Vaughn and Ruckleshaus probably would too.) But being conservative is not so important to me as someone who is independent and is willing to do what he believes is right, not just what he's told to do by party bosses.
Leadership, team building, follow through and doing what you tell people you are going to do is what Indiana needs including Senate District 30.
Simple attributes that have been lost in the chum and feeding frenzy in Indiana. I agree with Paul an independent thinker, listener and results oriented person needs to be the start of a new foundation.
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