While the special election to replace the late Julia Carson is just around the corner, the line up for what could be, but hopefully won’t be, a bruising Democratic congressional primary is shaping up.
Friday, state Rep. Carolene Mays officially filed as the latest candidate running for the 7th District congressional term that starts in January. It had been clear after the late Congresswoman Julia Carson announced in October that she wasn’t running for re-election that Mays, who is Publisher and President of this newspaper, would be a congressional candidate.
When she wasn’t slated by Democratic precinct committeepersons for the March 11th special election, one of those Black-hating-Black Internet blogs spread dirt that Mays would run for Glenn Howard’s state Senate seat.
Obviously, that blog was wrong as Mays readies her primary congressional challenge.
Meanwhile, David Orentlicher, who quietly entered the race after Julia Carson’s death, showed last week that his campaign is going to be a force to be reckoned with.
In the final 16 days of December, Orentlicher raised $170,376 in campaign cash, according to his Dec. 31, 2007, Federal Elections Commission (FEC) campaign report. That’s an impressive sum over two weeks and two days.
Now some speculated that Orentlicher’s cash haul would be exclusively from Jewish contributors, here and nationwide. But examining his FEC report, I found Orentlicher’s contributors are Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, many from his legislative district. Others are colleagues at Indiana University, relatives and acquaintances across the country.
With his 16-day fundraising blitz, you now have to assume that Orentlicher could have a campaign war chest upwards of $350,000 when the primary heats up.
The only other 7th District candidate raising cash before year’s end was Republican Jon Elrod. Immediately after announcing his candidacy in mid-November, Elrod grabbed a quick $3,500 from five donors; plus $400 more. Elrod’s fundraising total in the last six weeks of 2007? $3,900! That’s not a misprint, that’s all he raised.
Orentlicher raised nearly 44 times more cash in 16 days than Elrod, the endorsed Republican candidate did in 42 days.
Meanwhile, Andre Carson last week picked up a key endorsement from the Indiana AFL-CIO. That endorsement, plus the strong support he’s receiving from the national Democratic Party, which wants to keep the 7th District in the Democratic column, means Andre Carson should be able to match Orentlicher dollar for dollar.
Carolene Mays should be able to keep pace with Orentlicher’s seeming fundraising prowess and Andre Carson’s access to national party cash. But, a key factor in this looming battle will be Mays’ and Orentlicher’s ability to target and get votes in precincts where Carson might not be expected to do well. That may be the trickiest part of the upcoming primary battle.
A wild card in the race will be Dr. Woodrow Myers, who’s already filed his FEC paperwork and will formally announce his candidacy this weekend. The first African-American state health commissioner in Indiana, Myers was impressive here, as New York City’s health commissioner and with top health positions at Ford and Wellpoint.
But Myers has been away from Indiana for years. And with the major issue in this election now the economy and the recession, I’m not sure what Myers brings to the table and how he’ll fashion a winning coalition. But he could also bring big bucks to a race that could be the first $1 million Democratic primary in Indianapolis.
Twelve years ago, the last strongly contested congressional Democratic primary here was between two well funded, well known candidates. This year’s expected four-way race between quality candidates — three Blacks/one white, three men/one woman — is something Indianapolis has never really seen.
It’s going to be an election deserving of our community’s attention and going to the polls in record numbers.
Orentlicher e-mailed saying he spoke at the Justice for Janitors event at Christ Church Cathedral and the MLK Multi-Service Center awards at the Indiana History Center and attended three other events on Dr. King’s Day. Sorry for the omission.
And to all 7th District candidates; you need to keep media informed of your campaign doings so the community and voters can be informed.
What I’m hearing in the streets
Sheriff Frank Anderson chose statesmanship over brinkmanship in reaching a rapprochement with Mayor Greg Ballard over control of the Metropolitan Police.
The agreement, assisted and facilitated by Public Safety Director Scott Newman, gives the sheriff some face saving “consultation rights” and places him on the Metro Police Merit Board (which handles promotion and discipline of officers).
Anderson could have fought and filed a lawsuit over the lessening of his powers and authority. The legal fight over differing duties of a constitutional official in one county versus all the others would have been debilitating to law enforcement.
Now, the mayor and Republicans have no excuses because Feb. 29, Ballard will be responsible for police and their conduct in a Black community wary of him.
Mayor Ballard continues to be an enigma wrapped in a riddle swathed in a blanket of unknown cloth.
His appointment of Deputy Mayor Olgen Williams and strongly speaking out for hiring former felons in his inauguration speech are to be saluted and praised. His respect and visibility at the services for Congresswoman Julia Carson and his attendance at two key Dr. King Day events were noteworthy.
But Ballard’s invisibility and more seriously, the failure of Ballard’s staff to allow him to communicate with our Black community through Black media is deeply troubling.
Also troubling are rumblings that Mayor Ballard’s minions and “advisors” want to reduce, perhaps drastically, the amount of city business done with Indianapolis’ largest Black-owned contractors and construction managers.
Rumblings also indicate the “advisors” are pushing to eviscerate one of Indianapolis’ most hallowed civic institutions. A decision that if true, would create a firestorm of negative reaction throughout a wide bipartisan segment of this city’s leadership.
As they said on that old quiz show “To Tell the Truth,” “Will the real Greg Ballard, please stand up?”
Our entire community is praying for state Sen. Glenn Howard. His family isn’t releasing information, but I’ve heard from several sources that his illness is serious. This legislative session isn’t the same without Howard’s grassroots wit and common sense. Our community isn’t the same without his irrepressible voice and views.
Our prayers to him and his family for his speedy, full recovery.
See ‘ya next week.
Amos Brown’s opinions are not necessarily those of the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. You can contact him at (317) 221-0915 or by e-mail at ACBROWN@AOL.COM.
