Andrew may re-think running for governor

INDIANAPOLIS -- In a shift from earlier comments, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joe Andrew said Wednesday if Gov. Joe Kernan re-enters the governor's race he would end his campaign and support Kernan.\nAndrew, a former state and national Democratic chairman, said staying in at that point would only divide the party.\nTwo weeks after the Sept. 13 death of Gov. Frank O'Bannon, when he was asked about a possible Kernan candidacy, Andrew said he would keep running "no matter who else comes into the race between now and Election Day."\nAndrew said Wednesday if Kernan did run he would end his campaign because he wants to give the Democrats their best chance next year of defeating Mitch Daniels, the front-runner for the GOP nomination.\n"As time has gone on it's become clear that Joe Kernan is truly thinking about running," Andrew said. "And I want to make sure people know that I'm going to be supportive if that's what he does."\nAndrew's comments came a day after Bren Simon, who he had picked as his running mate for lieutenant governor, dropped out of the campaign.\nState Sen. Vi Simpson of Ellettsville, the other leading Democratic candidate, earlier said she would end her campaign if Kernan changed his December decision to not seek the office.