Many Hoosiers probably had the same reaction when Rupert Boneham said he was thinking about running for governor:
Joke candidate.
But politics being what they are these days, with much of the electorate feeling disenfranchised and desperate for a new direction, two other words come to mind:
Jesse Ventura.
As Ventura did in Minnesota, Rupert is considering running for governor as a third-party candidate. Like Ventura, a former professional wrestler, Rupert is known through television, and neither had an image one would associate with a governor. Like Ventura, Rupert doesn’t have much political experience, though Ventura had served as a mayor.
Rupert probably won’t have that much campaign money if he runs for governor, just as Ventura waged a campaign in 1998 against a well-known Republican and a well-known Democrat for only about $300,000.
And won.
Sure, Republican frontrunner Mike Pence has good name recognition, and Democrat John Gregg is a former state representative with a memorable sense of humor. But neither has the recognition that Rupert – he won’t even need to use a last name – gained from repeat appearances on “Survivor.”
Is he a legitimate candidate? He will have the biggest say in determining that. Will he raise at least some money? Will he study several key issues? Will he form a credible campaign organization with chairpeople in each county?
Rupert is considering a run for the Libertarian Party nomination. Too many Libertarian candidates over the years, at least in Indiana, have put their names on the ballot, attended some campaign events and offered themselves as an alternative without waging a competitive campaign and expecting to lose. Rupert has something many Libertarians have lacked over the years: Name recognition.
That could go far, but it won’t be enough.
Harrison and Henry
The Henry campaign breathed a big sigh of relief last week when developers of The Harrison finally reached agreement on financing with a letter of commitment from PNC Bank. Wednesday was the deadline set for the developers to obtain financing, though Henry administration officials were careful to use terms such as “non-binding” deadline just in case.
A missed deadline would have given the Paula Hughes campaign much fodder for criticism.
Lugar in context
State Democrats slammed Sen. Richard Lugar for talking about Moammar Gadhafi in a visit to Elkhart that focused more on economic development. “Hoosiers need jobs, not a lecture on how they fit into negotiations with …Gadhafi,” state Democratic Chairman Dan Parker said.
But there was a context for Lugar’s remarks. He was in a private meeting with an Elkhart company working on a process to desalinate water, and Lugar recalled a meeting with Gadhafi in the Libyan desert where the dictator said he wanted the U.S. to help him – by providing a way to desalinate water.
