According to the Indy Star, Senator Brent Steele wants to throw his name into the ring to lead the Senate. So far, I’ve heard Steele, Long, Kenley, Delph, Young, Merritt, and Miller as possibilities to take the President pro tem position. The Republicans hold 33 seats, but we know that Garton and Harrison won’t be coming back (any other retirements coming?), bringing the count down to 31. That’s 7/31, or 22.5% of the caucus.
The Senate Dems are a pretty passive bunch, but I wonder if there is any way they can take advantage of the chaos of this leadership free-for-all.
Steele, an attorney, is new to the Senate, elected in 2004, but he previously served in the Indiana House from 1994 to 2002. Known as a conservative, Steele said he can unite moderates and conservatives in the caucus.
Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, who earlier said he would run if no other conservative did, said he’ll support Steele.
Doug,
Please translate this for me. When the Indianapolis Star calls a Republican a conservative do they really mean that they pander to the Dominionist wing of the Republican party. Does this mean Steele will give priority to the Dominionist agenda primarily school prayer, intelligent design, abstinence only education and outlawing abortion. Once again it seems to me that the IndyStar is speaking in code.
Also are the Dominionists putting pressure on Republican senators to declare their intentions now, 6 months before they would have to vote in secret, because they are threatening to withhold support in the general elections.
Jim Merritt is my cousin. His grandmother, Lois, was my dad’s youngest sister. Jim is like you and Tom and Andrew–honest, dedicated and caring.
Tracy Warner (Ft. Wayne Journal-Gazette) has thrown out the name of Bud Meeks (R-Lagrange) as being in the hunt as well.
Soon it will be easier to simply mention the Republican Senators who are not in the hunt.
I suspect that Tracy Warner (Ft. Wayne Journal-Gazette) offered the name, Bob Meeks, not Bud. Bud Meeks is deceased.
Sorry, I meant Bob Meeks, not “Bud”.