Candidate pool grows in state race

The race for the Indiana secretary of state seat is thickening, with Vanderburgh County Commissioner Richard Mourdock throwing his hat in the statewide contest.\nMourdock, a Republican, announced his candidacy late last week. He joins several other candidates, including Mayor John Fernandez, who filed his papers in January.\nThe position will be vacated in 2002 by Republican Sue Anne Gilroy at the end of her second term.\nMike Delph, an aide to U.S. Representative Dan Burton (R-Ind.), and Deputy Secretary of State Todd Rokita are also running. Rokita, who serves as chief of staff for the office, has worked with Gilroy for the past four years.\nFor the past six years, Mourdock has served as a county commissioner and is a member of the Vanderburgh County Republican Central Committee. In 1990 and 1992, he was a Republican nominee for 8th District Congressman. He is the first Vanderburgh resident to campaign for a statewide office since Gov. Bob Orr announced his candidacy for lieutenant governor in 1972.\nMourdock said he wants to address several critical issues facing the state, including improving the state's voter registration system, updating the quality and accuracy of the voting systems and machines used in each county and improving enforcement and education efforts of the Securities Division.\n"The challenges facing the next Secretary of State require someone with extensive experience in both business and politics," Mourdock said. "Many believe that southwestern Indiana is politically isolated from Indianapolis in part because of the lack of statewide office-holders from the region. I will bring geographical balance to state government"