Indiana’s main man

INDIANAPOLIS – Republican Mitch Daniels has once again been crowned governor of Indiana.

Daniels, who was first elected in 2004, beat out Democratic candidate Jill Long Thompson and Libertarian candidate Andy Horning to win the governor’s seat. Long Thompson and Daniels were close in the polls at one point in the campaign, but Daniels pulled ahead in the end, defeating Long Thompson in a landslide victory.

Daniels held his election night rally Tuesday at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Following a video extolling Daniels’ achievements, the governor entered the crowd to thunderous applause.

“Before we get started, I need to alert all you bargain hunters to an amazing opportunity,” Daniels joked, holding up a “Ditch Mitch” bumper sticker. “They’re offering a once-in-a-lifetime clearance on these over at the other headquarters.”

But Daniels thanked his opponents for their competition.

“They are people who love this state,” he said. “They campaigned aggressively and sincerely. I want to tell them both – Jill, Andy – we appreciate you, and we wish you all the best in whatever comes next.”

Shortly after Long Thompson’s concession speech, Lieutenant Gov. Becky Skillman fired up the crowd with praise of Daniels.

“Elections are about identifying challenges, proposing solutions and effecting change,” Skillman said. “This past four years big change has come to Indiana. ... Hoosiers acknowledge that today, and we’re just getting started.”

Skillman said she and Daniels are already looking to the future of Indiana business.
“If you know Mitch Daniels, you know his mind is already at work. The wheels are turning,” Skillman said. “He is America’s public official of the year, and he is ours for four more years.”

Prior to Daniels’ win as governor, he had never before held an elected office. He did, however, work with President Reagan and serve as chief of staff to Sen. Richard Lugar.
Long Thompson is a former Congresswoman who served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and also as the U.S. undersecretary of agriculture.

Murray Clark, the chairman of the Indiana Republican Party, addressed the crowd in light of the information that Daniels had won.

“Let me thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all you’ve done for Republican candidates, including Senator McCain and our current and next governor Mitch Daniels,” he said.

Supporters both young and old came out at his election night rally at Conseco Fieldhouse, including everyone from teenagers too young to vote to seasoned factory workers.

“He likes the average man. He takes care of us like we take care of him,” supporter Wayne Brown said.

Brown worked at Oxford Automotive in Greencastle, Ind., before it closed. He met Daniels when he sent him an e-mail asking him to visit the plant. To his surprise, Daniels and his entourage showed up hardly an hour later. Brown said they’ve been friends ever since.

Abby Fivel and Cydny Audia, 17-year-old high school students at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School, also came to show their support.

“He’s done a really good job with his past term as governor,” Audia said.
Both students said they see this as an introduction to politics and also important to their future political decisions.

“I’m in government right now, and I’m just getting into politics,” Fivel said. “It’s still important even though we can’t vote.”

Daniels promised Hoosiers that though the campaign has ended, it didn’t mean he would stop working hard to improve Indiana. As he wrapped up his speech, green balloons bearing the slogan “Mitch Daniels for governor” fell on the crowd of cheering supporters.

“This is less an endorsement than an instruction,” he said. “This is less an award than an assignment.”