Who Will Replace Murray Clark?

Before too long, it's entirely likely that everyone will be wondering who will replace Dan Parker, Murray Clark's counterpart as Democratic Party chairman.

This is mostly just a list of names I've seen floated so far (along with links to where I saw their name, if linkage is possible). To the extent that I can, I'm going to provide a bit of information about each person.

It's important to note that Indiana has two potential large-scale primaries (US Senate and Governor) coming up in two years. To some degree, the landscape of those primaries can be shaped and the strength (or weakness) and success (or failure) of some of their candidates (particularly Dick Lugar) may well depend in some significant measure on who is chosen to replace Murray Clark as Chairman of the Indiana Republican State Committee.

Where I think it notable, I will indicate connections between various names and potential primary candidates (Skillman, Pence, Lugar, Mourdock, Delph).

It's also important to note that there is an election coming up for the Republican National Committee Chairman, and the new Indiana State GOP Chairman (or Chairwoman) will vote in that election.

But first, a bit about process. The state chairman is elected by the eighteen members of the state committee (the chair and vice chair from each of Indiana's nine Congressional districts). The state officers (unless they are district chairs or vice chairs, and I don't recall any of them being so) do not get to vote. Indiana's two Republican National Committee members (Jim Bopp and Dee Dee Benkie) do not get to vote either.

This means that the electorate is very small, at only eighteen votes. Ten votes, therefore, are needed to win. The vote will likely take place on January 19, when the State Committee (which met on Wednesday, December 15) will next meet again.

Now, to the list...

We already know that, probably thanks to his interestingly coincidental DUI arrest, Jim Kittle will not be running. I'll list the rest alphabetically.

Jim Banks, newly-elected state senator, retired campaign consultant, 3rd District GOP Vice Chairman (and thus a state committee member), former campaign manager for John Hostettler, former campaign manager for Greg Zoeller (convention floor fight and general election) in 2008, and worked politics for Focus on the Family in Colorado. Listed in poll at Angry White Boy.

Dee Dee Benkie, current RNC Committeewoman from Indiana, former White House staffer, worked for Karl Rove, former 9th District Vice Chairwoman, and Versailles town council member (among other things). Listed in poll at Angry White Boy. She is currently running for RNC Secretary, so I don't see a bid for state chairman happening. Listed in poll at Angry White Boy.

Steve Carter, former Indiana Attorney General, not sure what else he's up to these days. Vigorous campaigner who knows the party from one end of the state to the other. Listed in poll at Angry White Boy.

Bill Friend, state representative and 5th District GOP Chairman (and thus a state committee member). Listed in poll at Angry White Boy.

Mike Gentry, chief of the House Republican Campaign Committee and important architect of the GOP majority in the Indiana House of Representatives, ally of Brian Bosma. Ruffled some feathers during the 2008 Senate primary. There is a Facebook page up to draft him to run. Listed in poll at Angry White Boy.

John Hammond, lobbyist, attorney, 7th District GOP Chairman (and thus a state committee member), is reported in the Indy Star to be thinking about running. Since he serves entirely at the pleasure of the Marion County Chairman (who is now someone new), he may or may not even be in this position when the time comes to vote.

Anne Hathaway, former staff boss of the Republican National Committee and aide to Dan Quayle, is reportedly interested in running according to the Indy Star. She has not, contrary to "exuberant supporters", formally declared. She is tight with Coats and with Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman. Listed in poll at Angry White Boy.

Eric Holcomb, right-hand-man and political advisor for Mitch Daniels, also reported in the Indy Star. As there is never daylight between Mitch and Holcomb on anything, he's likely in the Lugar camp (Mitch being Lugar's protege). Should Mitch weigh in on a gubernatorial primary, he can also be counted upon to fall in line on that score as well. Listed in poll at Angry White Boy.

Sandi Huddleston, current state party vice chairwoman. Listed in poll at Angry White Boy.

Kevin Kellems has said he is running and he was calling people before Murray formally announced his departure. He got his start in Dick Lugar's office, was involved in the Coats campaign this time, and recently returned to Indiana from working for Dick Cheney and Paul Wolfowitz (at the Department of Defense and the World Bank). He lost the Republican Congressional primary in the 9th District to anti-abortion activist Michael Bailey in 1998. He's also got a nice YouTube video out there of him licking Paul Wolfowitz's hair. Senator-Elect Dan Coats is reportedly backing Kellems. Almost certainly in the Lugar camp. Listed in poll at Angry White Boy.

Mike O'Brien, lobbyist, Daniels ally (used to write for Frugal Hoosiers, I think), and Hendricks County Chairman. Name mentioned on Northwest Indiana Politics, here.

Ted Ogle, 6th District Chairman (and thus a state committee member), Bartholomew County Chairman, and real estate developer. Has considered running in the past. Listed in poll at Angry White Boy. There's never any daylight between Ogle and Mike Pence.

Cam Savage, former chief of staff and campaign manager for Mike Sodrel, communications guy for the Mitch 2008 reelect campaign, and campaign manager for Coats during the general election. Close to Mitch, so likely to be similar in primary inclinations to Holcomb. Name mentioned by Jim Shella.

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I'm sure I'm missing somebody.

Anyway, I think that a list of this sort is extremely likely to be immaterial to this process. A more detailed handicapping of each of those names (beyond adding information about their connections to potential primary candidates down the line) would probably be a waste of time.

Tradition generally holds that the state committee defers to the Governor (when the Governor is of their party) as the leader of their party to pick the state chairman. There is every indication that Mitch intends to weigh in on who he wants to be Murray Clark's replacement as state chairman, and there's absolutely nothing to indicate that the state committee will not rubber stamp his choice.

Mitch Daniels is by no means a "lame duck" in political terms (it's a bit early for that) and the state committee probably isn't going to go off and choose someone contrary to the Governor's wishes unless the Governor's pick is just off-the-wall mad or too closely aligned with someone in terms of a potential future primary.

I think that about the only thing that could provoke the state committee to defy the Governor would be a choice for state chairman that might be more involved in or connected to the 2012 primary process than the state committee thinks would be proper. But Mitch is politically savvy; I doubt he would divide the party and split the state committee by making such a nomination in the first place.