Saturday Morning Posts
I thought the gossip, rumor and innuendo might slow down a bit this week, but it didn’t. So with that said, here we go.
With Eric Holcomb being named as the “front runner” to replace Murray Clark as the head of the Indiana Republican Party, speculation is being drawn that it’s a sign that Mitch Daniels is *not* going to run for President. Holcomb is Daniels’ right-hand political man and any presidential ambitions would involve Holcomb. My very reliable GOP sources are telling me Daniels definitely wants Holcomb to have the job. And the fact that he is leading the pack as the head of the party is a clear indicator that Daniels is scratching the Presidency off his list.
If Holcomb does get the job as party chair, one of his big tasks will be to mitigate what could be not one, but two potentially messy statewide primaries in 2012. Not only would the GOP have to contend with a potential Becky Skillman vs. Mike Pence race for Governor, but also a Dick Lugar vs. Some Challenger for the U.S. Senate race. And if you don’t think Republicans aren’t capable of screwing things up in a primary as well as Democrats just ask Governors Goldsmith or Early.
Speaking of Chairman, one name being surfaced as a possible replacement for Dan Parker on the Democratic side is Tim Jeffers. Jeffers managed Jim Schellinger’s campaign back in 2008 and was Chief of Staff to former Speaker John Gregg.
And speaking of Democrats, something weird is going on over at the Indiana Election Division. An e-mail went out Thursday afternoon that co-Legal Counsel Leslie Barnes, wife of former State Representative John Barnes, had been fired. The e-mail did not state why but there are two theories out there. The first is that Barnes heard her boss, Pamela Potesta was leaving, applied for the job, Posteta found out and fired her on the spot. The second wild theory is that Potesta will eventually be fired and Barnes will be re-hired in her position. Wild stuff.
By the way, after mentioning Vop Osili as a possible candidate for City-County Council at-large, I’m hearing he may take a pass. However, if he does decide to run my sources tell me the party will bump Annette Johnson who has been running for the position for months. The logic, get this; Ed Treacy doesn’t want too many African-Americans at the top of the ticket. Draw your own conclusions.
Enjoy your weekend.
