FROM THE DESK OF SENATOR DAVID LONG
Well, the May Primaries are now behind us, and I have to say that I am very pleased with the outcome of two races in particular: Governor and County Commissioner.
I know both Mitch Daniels and Eric Miller, and they are each fine men. However, Mitch is, in my opinion, hands down the top choice as Governor for the people of Indiana. The best description of Mitch that I could offer is one provided by an old friend of his in Indianapolis, talking about his experience in working with Mitch Daniels in the past, who said it like this: ” So often, this scenario would repeat itself. We’re in a room full of very bright, opinionated, and creative people, trying to tackle some difficult problem. Each of us has weighed in, making our thoughts known, but no one has found a solution. Then Mitch, who has been quietly listening to everyone talk, speaks up. “Have you thought about this?” he would start out, and then provide, in a quick, logical, and incisive way, an idea that left everyone in the room saying “That’s it!”
Mitch Daniels is that bright. Yet he’s much more than that. He’s a genuinely decent person, he has a great sense of humor, but most importantly, he has courage, vision, and the ability to lead. Boy, have we been missing those characteristics in the Governor’s office for the past decade. Don’t get me wrong: Frank O’Bannon was a good man, but he was not a leader. Joe Kernan would, in my opinion, fall into the same category. He is someone I personally like very much, but I have also observed his leadership skills over the past 8 years, and find them lacking. We simply cannot afford to stay with the status quo any longer in our state. If ever there was a time in our history when we needed someone to step up and grab the reins, it is now. We need a dynamic leader to shake things up; to provide a clear, workable game plan to get our economy moving again in Indiana, and to have the courage and strength to bring the State Legislature with him. Mitch Daniels is the person to get the job done.
Mitch’s choice of a running mate was also superb. State Senator Becky Skillman is a genuine talent, and someone who has my utmost respect. She is from Bedford, in southern Indiana, and has been in the State Senate for 12 years. Prior to that, she was the County Clerk and County Recorder from Lawrence County, and was also President of the Association of Indiana Counties. She is the first woman to hold the title of Caucus Chair in the history of the Indiana Senate (that’s the #2 job in the Senate behind the President Pro-Tem), and is an expert in both local government issues and economic development, especially for rural areas. She will be of immense help to Mitch Daniels in helping to move his economic agenda through the State Legislature, because she has the respect of both political parties, and the skills and relationships to work behind the scenes to get things done. Having a key emissary to the Legislature is something a successful Governor must have, and is, again, something that has been lacking in recent years.
The choice of Pat Miller of Fort Wayne to be the first Secretary of Commerce, with the job of leading Indiana’s economic development and reforms, is a great decision as well. Pat’s success story as the CEO of Vera Bradley Designs is well known, as is the company’s leadership role in the fight against breast cancer. She will bring a unique perspective to the Commerce department: someone who has had to meet a payroll, balance the books, someone who can talk the language of fellow entrepreneurs and business leaders; someone who understands how much hard work is required to build a successful business. And she will also be an advocate for northeast Indiana as well, which is something that we will need if we are to turn around our own regional economic problems.
All in all, a very exciting couple of weeks in the race to be the next Indiana Governor.
As for County Commissioner, the selection of Nelson Peters to be the Republican nominee was a happy moment for Nelson’s many friends and admirers, among which I definitely count myself. I’ve known Nelson since 1983, when we started out in Young Republicans together. Through the years, I’ve seen him grow as the head of the Allen County Personnel Department, then in the same job for the City of Fort Wayne, then as a County Councilman for 10 years, and currently as a successful private businessman and entrepreneur. Through it all, Nelson has remained the same steady, solid individual I’ve always known: a great Dad and family man; a leader in his church, a loyal and steadfast friend; a good man.
As Commissioner, he will work well with other people, but he will also have his own ideas about how to get things done, and will be a strong leader for the county. As a County Councilman, he came up with numerous innovative, cost saving ideas for the county that were often ahead of their time, but, ironically, are now being embraced by county government.
Nelson Peters is one of the few people who has had an extensive, and successful, career in both local government and the private sector. At a time when the County is facing some very difficult fiscal challenges, and will need some deft, savvy leadership to navigate through its problems, we are lucky to have a person like Nelson Peters willing to take on the job of Commissioner.
Of course, I am not assuming that the individuals discussed in this article are a shoo-in to win. There is a competitive race for both Governor and Commissioner that will garner a great deal of attention in the coming months. I’m just voicing my pleasure in the fact that the Republican Party will have outstanding candidates in each race, and that I know that if elected in November, these candidates will do an excellent job for all of us.
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