From The Hotline Latest Edition for Thursday, May 8,2008

INDIANA

Jim And Jill Went Up The Hill To Fetch A Nomination

Thu. May 8, 2008


Driving south after a campaign rally in Ft. Wayne, ex-Rep. Jill Long Thompson (D) "made about 50 phone calls," including a number in which she sought campaign contributions. She's "going to need help." Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) has raised more than $8.8M, according to current finance reports. He's run 11 different TV ads in the past 2 months, during which he was uncontested in the primary. In the same period, Long Thompson ran 4 TV ads. She raised $1.4M and "spent most of it" in the primary.

Long Thompson: "I'm ready to now take this campaign to the fall, win and then spend eight years rebuilding Indiana's economy, bringing health-care costs down, increasing or high school graduation rate and stopping the privatization madness of Governor Daniels." Daniels comm. dir. Cam Savage said Daniels' re-election strategy "doesn't change by facing an experienced candidate" such as Long Thompson instead of a "first-timer" such as architect Jim Schellinger (D). Savage: "It doesn't matter to us who we face. The important thing is we'll run a positive campaign on issues."

During her primary race, Long Thompson reported raising $494K in donations of $10K or more since 4/15. Daniels, without the need for last-minute cash to "push a primary bid," raised nearly as much: $475K. Long Thompson "said she wasn't fazed" by Daniels' ability to drum up contributions. Long Thompson: "I expect to be very competitive in the fundraising, and even more competitive in getting votes" (Ruthhart, Indianapolis Star, 5/8).