Kip Too!
Another potential Democratic candidate for Mayor is out of the running. According to the Indianapolis Times blog, lobbyist Kip Tew has decided not to get into the race for Mayor in 2011.
Kip tells the Times that other commitments are keeping him out of the race. That would be consistent with a conversation he and I had earlier this year when he was trying to decide whether to get into the race for Mayor.
I think Kip would have been an interesting candidate and perhaps the toughest fighter out of the bunch. His departure leaves former Deputy Mayor Melina Kennedy, venture capitalist Brian Williams and City-County Councilor Jose Evans as contenders.
However, Kip’s departure does pose a question I have asked before; if incumbent Mayor Greg Ballard is so beatable, why do Democrats keep getting out of the race?You would think that in a county that leans Democratic and conventional Democratic wisdom is that the voters made a mistake in 2007 and the city is headed in the wrong direction, that Democrats would be crawling out of the woodwork to take on the incumbent? Maybe Kip, and Joe Hogsett both know something a lot of Marion County Democrats don’t know or aren’t willing to accept.
October 20th, 2009 at 5:57 am
I think it's timing, Abdul.
Kip has children who are in or approaching college age. He is successful and bright, but he needs to earn good money at this point in his life. In his line of work, and at his stage in his career, clients tend to present themselves with more-complicated tasks that aren't quick fixes.
Ballard is beatable for two reasons: he's not united his own party, and this is a baseline 55-57% Democratic county.
He can rebound. Democrats can screw it up. Either is possible. And it's early for 2011. But: the precinct folks are not motivated at this time. They will be.
October 20th, 2009 at 7:28 am
I assume your question is just a little early morning talk-show convo starting/space filling rhetoric :-) because it's politics 101 that it's precisely because Ballard (or anyone) is beatable that people would decide it's time to coalesce around one candidate with the time energy and $$ that was initially split and/or withheld by a lot of folks with mixed loyalties.
I'd agree… Kip Tew probably ultimately doesn't need the hassle, time away from his family and successful career, or potential drop in income.
October 20th, 2009 at 9:04 am
I think the dropout rate can be attributed to the fact that people see the rank and file uniting behind one candidate and the support for her will be too intense for any other candidate to overcome. Melina Kennedy is experienced and ready to lead the Democrats to reclaiming the mayor's officce which we should never have lost in the first place.
October 20th, 2009 at 9:14 am
I agree with the other commentators. Why spend $ and energy on a primary fight? The Dems can line up behind one candidate and blow Ballard out of the water.
October 20th, 2009 at 9:16 am
…which would mean we would continue our slide into ghetto status, like every other major U.S. city run by the Dems. The only thing worse for this city than Melina would be Frank Anderson as mayor.
October 20th, 2009 at 9:22 am
Fact Checker, I don't think another insider like Melina Kennedy is the answer. That's the problem with this city now is that the elites are running the show. Melina Kennedy was neck deep in the Colts-Lucas Oil Stadium sweetheart deal that led to the CIB's deep deficits.
I do agree that the D's seem to be coalescing behind a few candidates. That's no more representative of Ballard's strength than when there were multiple candidates.
TA is exactly right. It is a 55% Democrat county. Ballard has deeply alienated his base. You can't get to 50% by starting at 45% and subtracting which is what Ballard has been doing for 2 years now.
What I disagree with TA about is his suggestion that there is time to rehabiliate Ballard. A year ago, I would have agreed. Right now though I have never seen so many Republicans livid about another Republican elected officials. They aren't just disappointed, they are furious with the Mayor. You can fix disappointment; you can't the anger that many Republican rank and file members have toward the Mayor.
October 20th, 2009 at 9:48 am
All the anger in the world wouldn't lead most to vote for Kennedy, Anderson, etc., Paul. Like I did in 2008, many will hold their nose and vote for the least worst candidate. That would be Ballard, no matter who the Dems run against him.
October 20th, 2009 at 9:50 am
Paul I'm looking forward to the day you decide to run for office again…that will be one slating convention that I won't miss.
October 20th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Rico, while I wouldn't endorse a D, I think Republicans would be hard pressed to find someone who would do any worse in office than Greg Ballard has done. He's been a complete and total disaster. If I had to list the good things he's done in office, it would start and end with “charter schools.” The fact is insider self-dealing and conflicts of interest has gotten even worse in this adminstration than it was with Peterson.
October 20th, 2009 at 10:34 am
http://melinakennedy.com/
October 20th, 2009 at 11:07 am
Paul Ogden…I still think Peterson was worse than Ballard….but that leaves little room to give much credit to Ballard. I have to say it is nice to call to a city council meeting and not be locked out.
October 20th, 2009 at 11:12 am
You actually think I'm going to subject myself to a rigged slating convention?
October 20th, 2009 at 11:13 am
always the victim, Melyssa? always?
October 20th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Melyssa,
I would be hard pressed to find ANY difference between what Ballard is doing and what Peterson did in office. It is exactly the same elitists running the show, stuffing taxpayer money into their pockets. In fact, Ballard is actually taking the fall for many of the things Peterson's people did.
Please tell me where the improvement is because I don't see it.
October 20th, 2009 at 11:44 am
For that matter, “charter schools” were a Peterson “achievement” … Ballard simply continued that policy choice.
October 20th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Wilson, you are correct as much as I hate to say it.
October 20th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
That was Peterson's only “achievement”.
October 20th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
The budget passed without borrowing.
Crime is down, murders are at a thirty year low.
More police on the street.
Raises for city employees with out raising taxes.
Cuts in city spending.
Pot holes filled within three days.
That took me all of about thirty seconds to recall, given time I'm sure that I could come up with more.
October 20th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
What would a topic be like without Rico posting some racist or otherwise repugnant statement. Melina Kennedy was not involved in the negotiating for LOS or the CIB. You can't pin that one on her!!
October 20th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
I don't know where you've been IndyErnie. The question is what taxes has the Mayor not supported raising? He supported several taxes this past year with the CIB. Don't you remember the CIB? What “cut” in spending? This budget spends more than the last one.
And let's not forget the Mayor made permanent the .65% COIT property tax increase.
The Mayor is in support of giving the Pacers $15 million more per year, he is in support of that political insider development deal at east market, he is in support of the Wishard referendum which will mean more property taxes for Marion County residents. Mayor Ballard was in support of raising several taxes to bail out the CIB and never once asked the CIB to do any sort of reform for the money.
At every opportunity, Mayor Ballard has abandoned an ethics agenda and appointed self-interested people to run things. I think he has broken every campaign promise he has ever made. To say Mayor Ballard has been a disaster would be a charitable description. He sold out every Republican reformer who has supporte dhim.
October 20th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Uh, Fact Checker, you might want to check those facts. Melina Kennedy was most certainly involved with the LOS negotiations on behalf of Mayor Peterson. She was right in the middle of those negotiations.
October 20th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Rico isn't a racist Fact Checker and only an uninformed left leaning liberal democrat would consider him repugnant.
You democrats twist the truth daily. As pleasant a person as Melinda is… she was a big part of Peterson's crew… and because of her connection to Bart, she is fair game.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Jose Evans is not yet a candidate. Melina Kennedy and Brian Williams are. I think it's a one horse race right now and the other two candidates are running for their own purposes. That's why Joe, Kip, and others have gotten out. Brian Williams wants to pick up name recognition as does Jose. Melina will likely be the one standing at the end, and I can't think of a better time for her. We need a mayor with a heart and a brain, and she has both. Melina wants to be mayor for all the right reasons.
Ballard's been a joke. He has nothing to tout. No record of any sort. His lack of knowledge of the simplest little facts is embarassing and is on display at any one of the farces called “Mayor's Night Outs”. If the Democrats can't make a case as to why Melina Kennedy should be Mayor over Ballard, then there are serious issues.
I will say that Ballard has money now, and he still has time to spray air freshener over his odorous dung heap he likes to call balanced budgets and leadership.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Brian Williams would also make a great Mayor, too. Win or lose this time, it's not the last we'll see of him.
October 22nd, 2009 at 5:18 am
Ernie is right (gasp!). Melina is fair game. She's put her name out there.
Time will tell if the public will accept it. This may not be over yet, but, again: if the Dems can accomplish the task of nominating someone, without splitting their party open, they'll win. It's pretty simple math. If the GOP were completely united and enthusiastic, their base only gets to 43-46%.
If Ballard had been even mediocre up until now, this might be more difficult for the Democrats. Alas, he's been pretty damned miserable.
I do';t think Ballard had any intention of being this inept. He had a lot going for him in Jan. 2008. But he's learned this fine art too soon and too well: listening to the wrong people. Peterson had the same disease late in his second term, and it cost him dearly.
With most government CEOs (mayor, governor, even president), it's only a matter of time until the handlers circle the wagons to protect their interests. The true test of a good govt. CEO, is how often (s)he opens that palace door, and how wide, and for how long.
THe folks who are controlling Ballard's palace door are an ugly mix of the typical (B&T, et al), and the unlikely (Olgen Williams, Nick Webber). It's the unlikely ones who scare me more. I know where the B&Ts of the world are going: slanted advice that lines their pockets.
Inept folks like Olgen only cloud the mayor's vision and goals. When you empower that kind of nonsense, Lord only knows what can happen.
October 22nd, 2009 at 10:18 am
Ernie is right (gasp!). Melina is fair game. She's put her name out there.
Time will tell if the public will accept it. This may not be over yet, but, again: if the Dems can accomplish the task of nominating someone, without splitting their party open, they'll win. It's pretty simple math. If the GOP were completely united and enthusiastic, their base only gets to 43-46%.
If Ballard had been even mediocre up until now, this might be more difficult for the Democrats. Alas, he's been pretty damned miserable.
I do';t think Ballard had any intention of being this inept. He had a lot going for him in Jan. 2008. But he's learned this fine art too soon and too well: listening to the wrong people. Peterson had the same disease late in his second term, and it cost him dearly.
With most government CEOs (mayor, governor, even president), it's only a matter of time until the handlers circle the wagons to protect their interests. The true test of a good govt. CEO, is how often (s)he opens that palace door, and how wide, and for how long.
THe folks who are controlling Ballard's palace door are an ugly mix of the typical (B&T, et al), and the unlikely (Olgen Williams, Nick Webber). It's the unlikely ones who scare me more. I know where the B&Ts of the world are going: slanted advice that lines their pockets.
Inept folks like Olgen only cloud the mayor's vision and goals. When you empower that kind of nonsense, Lord only knows what can happen.