Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Souder Running Away From Kelty

Already facing a well-financed Democratic opponent in next year's congressional race, Indiana's third district representative Mark Souder (R) is running fast and furious to put distance between himself and Fort Wayne GOP mayoral candidate Matt Kelty. The Journal-Gazette's Sylvia Smith says Souder refused to do a radio spot for Kelty and is angry his campaign sent out a mailer including his name as a supporter of Kelty's. He stopped short of withdrawing his endorsement of Kelty. Smith writes:

Rep. Mark Souder, R-3rd, refused to participate in a radio commercial for Republican mayoral candidate Matt Kelty and now is “extremely upset” that Kelty
recently used Souder’s past endorsement in a mailing to supporters.

“I would have said no” if Kelty had asked permission to include Souder in the mailing, he said Monday.

Souder also said he hasn’t made up his mind whether he’ll vote for Kelty next month.

“I want to be for Matt Kelty,” he said. “He’s the Republican nominee, he’s a friend and he’s a conservative. But I’m struggling mightily, and I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Kelty has been indicted on perjury and campaign finance charges. Souder publicly endorsed Kelty three weeks before the indictment was handed down in August.

After the nine indictments, Kelty asked Souder to cut a radio commercial “about what an ethical guy he was.” Souder refused.

Souder said Monday that Kelty should have seen that refusal as a clue that he shouldn’t include Souder in promotional materials.

Asked whether he is formally withdrawing his endorsement, Souder said:

“I’ll see how it evolves. Basically everybody in Fort Wayne understands the significance of what I already did. … I haven’t technically withdrawn (the endorsement). I haven’t made the decision how to do that, but de facto if I’m not letting him use my endorsement, it’s not of much value. So they went ahead and used it without my permission.”

Meanwhile, Indiana GOP Chairman Murray Clark has some explaining to do to Marion County Republicans. Clark's state party organization won't lift a finger to help GOP mayoral hopeful Greg Ballard, but the party is sending out thousands of mailers on behalf of Kelty's campaign in Fort Wayne. People are asking if Clark's ties to his law firm, Baker & Daniels, are interfering in his role as state chairman. The firm has extensive legal contracts with the City of Indianapolis courtesy of Mayor Bart Peterson (D). Also, Clark is very close to Peterson's Chief Deputy John Dillon.

The state party is also helping out extremist, religious right candidate Juan Manigault in South Bend. I have a suggestion to Marion Co. Republicans. Stop making contributions to the Indiana GOP until Murray Clark resigns. Unless you are interested in maintaining Democratic control of Marion County, there is no reason to contribute a dime to the state party.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Murray Clark and John J Dillon, III???

That explains quite a bit.

Anonymous said...

Yep. The IN GOP has sent out a flyer in South Bend depicting a tombstone to represent our city.

Interestingly, Juan Manigault doesn't see this as being negative.

With the cloes ties Manigault and his GOP buddies have to the AFA and other extremist groups, he's really a scary thought.

Then again, I think the GOP did more to tick people off in our city than to help their cause.

Sir Hailstone said...

Gary - Perhaps people should be led to contribute to other groups outside the GOP mainstream such as Hoosiers for Honesty in Government.

I'm hearing rumblings that more and more are fed up with this cozy relationship between Bart and the GOP Establishment (aka John and Clark)

David C Roach said...

SOUDER IS THE BIGGEST FAR RIGHT FUNDAMENTALIST NUT JOB THERE IS OUT THERE! lets see- here are his peers- in my opinion-
david koresh, warren jeffs, the ayatollah khomeini, bin laden, zawahiri, jim jones, and his koolaid drinkers- that "mother ship/comet cult- who were they again? dobson, falwell, robertson, hagee, bakker, swaggart, etc.
Ask Mr Souder about "chinese fetus eaters- what a maroon! what a gulla-bull!as bugs bunny would say.
souder and kelty are peas in a pod- both nice guys, who would give you a lift if your car was broke down- if you could stand the saved to jesus speech on the ride to the gas station. Jesus Freaks are still freaks- and should be consigned to the harmless fringes of our lunatic society- not in the seats of elected office. they are like the proverbial borg, from star trek " pro-life uber alles. you
WILL be assimilated.
the GOP will say and do anything to win, regardless of the dangers to our secular freedoms and liberties. Mark Souder needs to take a "Wok", and his "little buddy with him. Cake and koolaid in the 9th floor is too much of a sticky mess, and we will be trying to clean it up for a long long time to follow.

Anonymous said...

You cant make silk out of a sow's ear and I think in Ballard, Kelty and Manigault that the GOP has 3 sows' ears.

Anonymous said...

Hello from SB. I have voted a straight D ticket for over 50 years. This time I am supporting Juan Manigault for mayor. Luecke has failed big time. 11 years of his poor leadership is enough. SB IS DYING just like the postcard said.

Anonymous said...

South Bend has problems. No one would argue with the GOP on that. But to say it is dying is extremist, negative and turns off voters, myself included. The problems that SB has are similar to other cities of our size and past reliance on manufacturing.

Juan's promises of jobs are laughable given his 30 years in running a workforce agency - what has he been doing exactly?