TERRE HAUTE —
Almost certainly, running mates will not influence voters choosing Indiana’s next governor.
Still, the two women selected this week as lieutenant governor candidates offer refreshing possibilities for their state. It is hard to imagine Vi Simpson (picked to run alongside Democratic gubernatorial nominee John Gregg) or Sue Ellspermann (Republican nominee Mike Pence’s choice) remaining quietly in the background, towing the party line if elected to the No. 2 job. In differing ways, Simpson and Ellspermann seem destined to exhibit independence.
Ellspermann largely mirrors Pence’s conservative stances. Elected to her first term in the Indiana House just 18 months ago, Ellspermann backed legislation for public funding of private school vouchers, right-to-work rules and ending state funding for Planned Parenthood. The 52-year-old from Dubois County carries a successful resume from the private sector as an engineer, and operator of a business consulting firm, as well as director of the University of Southern Indiana Center for Applied Research. Solid GOP credentials, for sure.
Nonetheless, Ellspermann voted as a Democrat in the 2008 Indiana primary. Of course, that primary featured a close race for the party’s presidential nomination between future Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and future President Barack Obama. It also included a cynical call by talk-radio celebrity Rush Limbaugh for Republicans to vote for Clinton. When asked Monday about her 2008 vote, Ellspermann insisted it was not part of a political ploy, nor did she reveal whether she voted for Obama or Clinton. “No, it had nothing to do with Rush Limbaugh,” she told Indianapolis TV station WISH. “This was a personal decision as a Hoosier and as an American.”
Though Pence himself said he respected her decision to vote Democratic, Ellspermann clearly did something in 2008 that Pence likely would not.
Likewise, Simpson is not a clone of Gregg, her presumptive running mate.
The 66-year-old from Ellettsville is a state senator with a law degree and 28 years of experience in the Legislature. Gregg, a former speaker of the Indiana House, was also a statehouse veteran and an attorney, but he and Simpson disagree on certain topics. Gregg, a centrist Democrat, opposes same-sex marriage and has taken an anti-abortion stance, contrary to Simpson, who is more liberal. Simpson herself made a brief run for governor in 2004.
She also was an outspoken opponent of the divisive right-to-work law passed in the recent session of the General Assembly.
Viewed strictly through demographics, the two major parties’ tickets appear unremarkable — a male running for governor alongside a female lieutenant governor candidate. That pairing identified the past two administrations. In ascending to the governor’s post after the death of former Gov. Frank O’Bannon, Joe Kernan chose Kathy Davis as Indiana’s first woman lieutenant governor in 2003. A year later, Hoosiers elected Mitch Daniels and his running mate Becky Skillman. Skillman chose not to seek the top job, which Daniels must leave because of term limits. A woman who did lead her party’s gubernatorial ticket — Democrat Jill Long Thompson — lost overwhelmingly to Daniels in 2008.
Regardless of the outcome of the fall election, we like the prospect of seeing either Simpson or Ellspermann loyally disagree, upon occasion, with her governor.
Editorials
EDITORIAL: Independent running mates
Ellspermann, Simpson bring balance — even loyal disagreement — to Pence, Gregg
- Editorials
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EDITORIAL: Cleaning up voter rolls
It’s not a lot of money in the big scheme of things, but the $2 million designated in the recent session of the General Assembly will begin the messy but necessary process of cleaning up Indiana’s voter registration rolls.
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EDITORIAL: Waging the ‘readiness’ campaign
Almost every Hoosier who starts college intends to finish. Unfortunately, those who arrive on campus unprepared in key academic areas are far less likely to fulfill that aspiration.
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EDITORIAL: Insult to an independent press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news: Dashing finish for the Sycamores
It’s always thrilling to see Indiana State University’s athletic teams do well in high-level competition, and two specific teams rose to impressive heights last weekend in the Missouri Valley Conference outdoor track and field championships.
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EDITORIAL: Better monitoring needed to prevent local environmental messes
The nasty, hazardous messes lurking in the community raise a bottom-line, red-flag question. Could these environmental problems have been monitored and, thus, prevented?
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EDITORIAL: Memo to U.S.A.: You can ‘SPPRAK’ just as we do in Vigo County
Our kids, truly, are ‘Making a Difference’
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Some words in praise of boring government — Indiana’s
A conservative Republican governor has super majorities in both branches of the legislature. One might suspect such one-party government leads to major changes in public policy. This did not happen in 2013 in Indiana.
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EDITORIAL: Doc’s prescient prescription
Viewed through a 2013 prism, Doc Bowen’s response to the AIDS epidemic looks merely prudent, routine.
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EDITORIAL: Education remains worth the cost
Within the next few weeks, each of the local colleges will have conducted graduation ceremonies. A few days later, a different Class of 2013 will don caps and gowns for commencement — the seniors at five Vigo County high schools. It is still a smart, worthy aspiration for those high school grads to replicate the achievement of those college students by earning a higher-education degree.
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EDITORIAL: Good news for downtown
For decades, it seems, downtown Terre Haute has been in the throes of change
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EDITORIAL: Overall, state budget step in the right direction
For average Hoosiers uninterested in political point-scoring, the budget crafted by the Indiana Legislature inspires only muted, if any, fanfare.
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EDITORIAL: The lessons of organ donation
The range of emotion surrounding life-saving transplantation of a vital organ is extreme. It is the ultimate “good news-bad news” scenario.
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READERS’ FORUM: April 26, 2013
• Pence’s tax cuts benefit wealthiest
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news
This does not qualify as a surprise in any way. But the Wabash Valley’s response to widespread flooding of recent days has been nothing short of impressive, even inspirational.
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EDITORIAL: Still waiting for the jobs reward
The forces in control of Indiana government for most of the past decade need to show some results to Hoosiers in one primary category.
Good-paying jobs. -
MARK BENNETT: Littered with irony: Why do people callously discard their trash, and who are they?
Though they aren’t acknowledged by the U.S. Census Bureau, there are basically two demographic groups of people … Those who would dump their old toilet on the banks of the Wabash River or a rural roadside. And those who wouldn’t.
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EDITORIAL: Doing the dirty work to clean up tossed trash
A first-of-its-kind, coast-to-coast project to remove litter from U.S. roadsides brought the Pick Up America crew through the Wabash Valley two years ago.
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EDITORIAL: Keep school security a local issue
The decision to provide armed security inside a schoolhouse should be made locally.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news
Indiana’s parks need your help.
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EDITORIAL: The return of terror
Emotions today remain strong and raw in wake of Monday’s terror bombings near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.
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EDITORIAL: A solution to distracted driving … stop it … now
You’ve got to stop. You know you do it. It’s a miracle you haven’t caused a tragedy already.
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EDITORIAL: ‘Women of Influence’: 2013 selectees have given much to their communities
For the second year, United Way of the Wabash Valley has teamed up with local sponsors to select and honor a group of women who have made outstanding contributions to their communities, professions and families.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news: A new honor for our veterans
A commendation goes out today to state Rep. Clyde Kersey, a Terre Haute Democrat who led the charge this week in the Indiana House of Representatives to pay tribute to the nation’s Purple Heart recipients.
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EDITORIAL: Shifting view on marriage
One could argue, as many have, that Sen. Joe Donnelly did the right thing last week when he dropped his support of government-sanctioned opposition to same-sex marriage. It wasn’t a radical move, considering most Democrats have now made the switch.
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MAX JONES: The American Newspaper: Changing? Yes. Dying? No way!
It happened again this past January when all those “looking at the year ahead” stories started popping up on Internet “news” websites and broadcast “news” programs. Under a provocative headline reading something like “Five industries/businesses doomed to tank in the coming year,” there it was, a prediction based on an unsubstantiated “expert” analysis that the newspaper industry will continue in 2013 to suffer its slide into oblivion.
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EDITORIAL: A chance to change our bad cultural habits
The sight of diligent, eager young people dragging trash out of the Wabash River wetlands is both inspiring and sad.
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EDITORIAL: Maintaining high standards
Standards
It’s the raging buzzword in education circles these days. Everyone insists that higher standards must be met. Anything less is, doggone it, unacceptable. -
Noteworthy in the news
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EDITORIAL: Crack down on dumpers
There is a reason it’s called “illegal” dumping. It’s against the law. And there is a very good reason illegal dumping is against the law.
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Season of Day 2s arrives
Calendars in Cincinnati contain one extra holiday — Opening Day, traditionally the first Monday in April.
- More Editorials Headlines
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EDITORIAL: Cleaning up voter rolls
Looking for Love? Take the Prague Metro
First Person: Baby Falcons on a New York Bridge
Crews Race to Find Survivors of Okla. Twister
Oklahoma: Images of Devastation, Reunion
Raw: Aerial View of Moore Tornado Damage
Reunited Dad, Son: 'We Just Praise God'
Moore, Okla. City of Reunions, Tears After Storm
Families Begin Returning to Their Homes in Moore
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Lawyer: Feds Investigating Susan Powell Case
Raw: Tearful Reunion After Okla. Tornado
Arias Tells Jury What She'd Do if She Gets Life
Raw: Japan's WWII Atrocities Under Fire in Seoul
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Raw: Crews Search for Survivors of Okla. Tornado
AP Photograher: 'It Was a Miracle' They Got Out
Raw: Students Clash With Police in Chile
Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff
Raw: Tornado on the Ground in Oklahoma
Gov. Fallin: Okla. Facing Horrific Disaster
DWTS Crowns a Winner
Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill
Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House
Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor
Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up
VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal
The Hangover Baby All Grown Up
Olivia Munn Flaunts Her Bikini Bod
Britney Spears Under Fire Once Again For Being A Bad Mom
The all-new Xbox One
RAW: Massive tornado strikes Oklahoma
Nidal Hasan paid $278K while awaiting trial
VIDEO: Teacher reunites mother and son after tornado levels elementary school in Oklahoma City
Okla. tornado survivor finds dog buried alive under rubble
Jennifer Lawrence Gets Naked and Painted Blue as X-Men's Mystique
Pickler's Dance Moves Cause A Stir
Obama to tornado survivors: The country stands beside you
Reporter Cries Over Devastation
