Sunday, March 23, 2008

Steve Carter Bows Out Of Attorney General's Race

Two-term incumbent Attorney General Steve Carter (R) had been expected to seek re-election this year, but he surprised many political observers when he announced today he was bowing out according to the Star's John Strauss. Unlike the governor's office, candidates for other statewide offices are selected at the state party conventions. Because Carter made his announcement after the filing deadline for the May primary, he short-circuited efforts of other would-be candidates to line up supporters to run for state convention delegate, which are nominated in the May primary. That means any candidate will have a very short time between now and the June 2 state convention to lobby delegates for support. In those districts where there are fewer delegate candidates on the May primary ballot than are to be elected, the county chairmen will fill those vacancies. A candidate will not know until well after the May primary who all those convention delegates are. Carter's belated decision effectively hands control of the selection of his Republican replacement to party leaders and thwarts any grassroots campaign by a candidate other than one backed by the party's leadership. His campaign website as of today was still touting his 2008 candidacy. Democrats are expected to nominate Linda Pence, an Indianapolis attorney and former Justice Department official, to run for the office.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Steve Carter continued the string of extremely mediocre Attorney Generals. His office was well-known around the Statehouse as one of the worst run offices in state government. I know probably 100 attorneys who worked there at one time or another. Only one spoke positively of the office. With the exception of the no-call list and so-called gasoline price gouging, Carter's office never took the initiative on anything of meaning to Hoosiers.

Flatbedder69 said...

Well, Flyn, After alot of thought on this, my take is that like other political office holders whos position is of a very limited nature and totally subject to vast opinions and the many authorities above his level and means, he did more than most i believe. The do not call list was a big one! Infact one big enough to encounter retrobution from all the big money efforts opposeing his actions along with any and all other polititions the BM efforts were catering too. That says alot and maybe far more than you realize. Long story short, alot of big money toes got stepped on here in which im sure some that had higher level political influence in terms of campain contributions. Contributions which may have experienced losses of revenuue do to Steve Carters actions. Getting the big pic? None the less, I highly and publically applauded him giveing thanks for doing the right thing there preventing solicitors from terrerizeing old folks, working folks, and the like with their unscrupulous, never ending, constant all hors calling on peoples private phones, disrupting private live! Ill Say it again as i did before. They have taken over TV, Radio, internet, newspapers and avenues of soliciting to folks and the darn phones are private and their use as such needed to be protected! Peoples lives are too busy and hectic to have such a burdon uncontrolled as it was unleashed upon society that way. Thats probly why he didnt run just guessing of course. Campain controbutions for him probly fell very short in that reguard and other higher level polititions probly didnt want to support him as this would be dangerous to there own contributions supporting the guy who decreased the solicitation revenue those contributions or rescources would have came from. Well, he did a brave and worthy thing for his people, THE PEOPLE, at a cost! Someone needed too badly! And who stepped up and then took the fall< You got it! Steve Carter!! Steve, God bless you my friend! One who does right for the people always has a special place in my heart and so many others! Thank god you had vision to see the big picture of the severe disruption of lives that this scenario was causeing and may all polititions everywhere realize this and learn to stand together on the issue listing it as just a plain, bad idea. Its sure something we can live without. In ending, ill say that im sure the AGs office has much more than a do nothing atmosphere going on as you stated! Why? Simple. If that was the case it would be the perfect positio and all