Kernan's entry energizes Democrats

It's good to be a Democrat in Indiana this week. Last week was election week, and it went well, but that isn't why it was a good week for Democrats in Indiana. That reason is Joe Kernan.\nYes, Indiana's seven largest cities will all have Democratic mayors come next year, and our largest city, Indianapolis, elected a Democratic majority to its council for the first time in history. And, I know that you are yelling (don't worry about being too loud, the guy next to you wants to yell, too) at the opinion page, saying, "Jim, we elected a great mayor and seven good city council members here in Bloomington, too."\nTo all this (while it gives me a good feeling), I can only respond with: "But, Joe Kernan's running." The Joe Kernan I speak of is Gov. Joe Kernan. Kernan became governor, as you will remember, upon a very sad occasion -- the death of Gov. Frank O'Bannon.\nKernan had previously said last year when he was lieutenant governor that he would not run for governor in 2004. Upon assuming the governor's office, Kernan initially said he hadn't changed his plans, then he grew silent, and, last week, he proclaimed, according to The Indianapolis Star, "I don't want to watch this one from the sidelines."\nIn response, Democrats across the state let out a huge sigh of relief. It's not that we didn't have qualified candidates. State Sen. Vi Simpson and former national Democratic chairman Joe Andrew were both seeking the job. But neither campaign was gathering excitement, and neither was seen as having a credible chance at continuing the Democrats' 16-year hold on the governor's office. Both have now left the race.\nAssociated Press columnist Mike Smith put it best when he wrote that Democrats have, "no more fighting. No more contested primary. No more doubts they could beat a guy like Mitch Daniels, the heavyweight on the Republican side."\nWell said.\nI was present in Indianapolis last Tuesday when Kernan addressed a group of supporters at a victory party for Mayor Bart Peterson. The night belonged to Peterson and local Democrats, but the energy didn't fill the room until Kernan took the stage to chants of "Run, Joe, Run!" Energized? Oh, yeah.\nKernan's likely Republican opponent is Daniels.\nHe has the support of the president and will be a formidable candidate in the fall, but, with Kernan's entrance, the race will be competitive.\nBoth men have attributes and downfalls. Daniels will have the support of a very popular president. But, on the other hand, he was in charge of that president's budget. It's a budget that has sent us spiraling into debt. Indiana's governor has a large influence on the state's budget, and Daniels will have to prove he can handle the responsibility of managing a budget in a fiscally responsible manner.\nKernan, a former Vietnam POW and mayor of South Bend, was lieutenant governor for nearly seven years -- a position where he was responsible for the state's economic development. Indiana has had its share of rough times, which will definitely be an issue in the campaign, but Kernan's record as an advocate for Hoosier businesses is strong. He was, for example, Gov. O'Bannon's point man on the successful Energize Indiana economic growth legislation which passed last year.\nWith two strong candidates, the voters will have a race on their hands next November. We don't know who will win, but we do know the race will be tough. And exciting.