Articles

KELLEMS: Think tanks, information strategies pick up clout in Indiana Legislature

he question can be viewed several ways. One approach is simply ranking industry groups and associations—by appraising perceived wins and losses. A second is to assess the role of the individual lobbyist representing them to legislators and the governor’s office. Then consider which characteristics and qualifications are common among those who wield influence successfully on behalf of clients. And how important is party affiliation of both the individuals and institutions involved?

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MACALLISER: Ballard has characteristics that transcend politics

I go back to that happy time when elections (and campaigns) occurred on a fixed, periodic schedule versus campaigning incessantly every day, of every month, of every year. Although our municipal election is 18 months off, the political winds have been blowing for a full year—and we don’t even know who’s running for mayor.

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BECK: Democrats left big JJ dinner energized, unified

One of my favorite parts of serving former first lady Maggie Kernan involved county Jefferson-Jackson Day dinners. Call me crazy, but I enjoyed countless evenings at JJ dinners, whether it was fried chicken in Parke County or a standing-room-only crowd in Starke County.

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BARLOW: Dems now importing candidates … bad ones

I am going to start with a confession: I am a conservative Republican, so it should be no surprise that I cracked up while reading tweets, Facebook posts and stories about the Indiana Democratic Party’s State Convention, or the “Big Dem Weekend.”

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