Welcome!
In a contest that will be decided tonight in Jasper, a top Indiana State Police official and two Dubois County officeholders are among four candidates vying to replace Republican Mark Messmer in the state Senate, State Affairs reports. And Judge Terry A. Crone announced he is retiring from the state appeals court. More news below. — Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs
Today: 4 candidates vie to fill Messmer’s state Senate seat — Republican precinct committee members from Senate District 48 will meet this evening in Jasper to decide who will fill the last two years of Mark Messmer’s Senate term running through the November 2026 election. (Davies, State Affairs)
New Lugar statue debuts in the shadow of a stadium he made safer: Brian Howey of State Affairs reports on the ceremony for the new statue of the late U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, and how the former Indianapolis mayor’s passion — and compassion — made the world a safer place after the fall of the Soviet Union.
STATE
Appeals Court Judge Terry Crone retiring after 20 years: Indiana Court of Appeals Judge Terry A. Crone announced he will retire effective Nov. 5 after 20 years as a member of the court, becoming the second this year to retire among the 15 appeals court judges. (Davies, State Affairs)
Former DCS attorney suspended for forging signatures in CHINS cases: Robert Miller, a former Indiana Department of Child Services staff attorney, has been suspended from the practice of law for forging family case managers’ names to Child in Need of Services petitions while he worked for the state agency. (Shrake, Inside Indiana Business)
‘Anti-vaccine sentiment’ results in less coverage for Indiana toddlers: Doctors are sounding the alarm after more than 40% of Indiana’s toddlers did not get their recommended vaccines last year. (Molloy, MirrorIndy)
IEDC to target semiconductor innovation and launch new Taiwan office: A news release announced Indiana Secretary of Commerce David Rosenberg will lead an economic delegation to Taiwan “to showcase Indiana’s future-focused economy and cultivate partnership opportunities to advance semiconductor R&D, production and applications in advanced manufacturing, technology and AI.” (Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs)
Indiana Farm Bureau president talks water, taxes, internet: Mitzi S. Morris of Inside Indiana Business interviewed Randy Kron, president of the Indiana Farm Bureau.
IU awards its millionth degree: Indiana University announced it has awarded 1 million degrees to students across the globe with degrees conferred during the summer 2024 term. (Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs)
Weakening farm income prospects weigh on farmer sentiment: The August Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer dropped 13 points from July to a reading of 100, echoing levels seen from fall 2015 to winter 2016 during the early stages of a significant downturn in the U.S. farm economy, according to a news release. (Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs)
Condoleezza Rice voices concerns about defense preparedness at Economic Club of Indiana luncheon: Condoleezza Rice, who served as U.S. secretary of state from 2005 to 2009, said she would prioritize her foreign policy efforts on the Middle East and Iran, Venezuela and Russia if she were still in her former position. (Charron, IBJ)
LOCAL
Tippecanoe County extends water moratorium for another year: The Tippecanoe County Commissioners extended the existing water moratorium until September 2025 to give the General Assembly an opportunity to pass related legislation during the upcoming session. (Martorano. WLFI-TV)
St. Joseph County Commissioners fire attorney over alleged assault report: A judge candidate’s alleged assault of his brother has led St. Joseph County Commissioners to effectively fire their attorney. (Parrott, WVPE-FM)
IEDC still looking for buyers for portion of Indy’s GM stamping plant property: The Indiana Economic Development Corp. says it’s keeping options open for the sale of a large chunk of the former General Motors stamping plant site along the White River. (Shuey, IBJ)
Michigan City EDC releases strategic plan: Economic Development Corp. Michigan City released a new strategic action plan that sets goals through 2040 to build on the city’s recent momentum, including a nascent building boom downtown that is raising up several new high-rises. (Pete, NWI Times)
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Davis: ‘Hopefully we can find solutions’ on school discipline concerns — State Rep. Michelle Davis, R-Whiteland, a member of a summer study committee that will delve further into the increase of disciplinary issues in schools across the state, said “Hopefully we can find solutions that can help and support our schools and the discipline issues that they’re having,” Davis said. (Lehmkuhl, Daily Journal)
Waltz reflects on prison, regrets plea deal: Former state Sen. Brent Waltz, R-Greenwood, claims his conviction for violating campaign finance laws and making false statements to the FBI was due to unfair targeting by the federal government. (Hedrick, WIBC-FM)
Tomorrow: Roads study committee to meet — The Interim Study Committee on Roads and Transportation will meet at 1:30 p.m. in Room 404 at the Statehouse, according to a calendar notice. (Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs)
CONGRESS
Young, Braun among 10 most bipartisan Republicans in Senate: Data from the Lugar Center and McCourt School of Public Policy indicate there was a slight uptick in bipartisanship in 2023, with Indiana U.S. Sens. Todd Young (5th) and Mike Braun (9th) making the list of the ten most bipartisan Republicans in the Senate. (24/7WallSt)
House Foreign Affairs Committee chair subpoenas Blinken over Afghanistan withdrawal: House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul. R-Texas, subpoenaed Secretary of State Antony Blinken for what he described as a “refusal” to testify on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. (The Hill)
Congressional schedule: The Senate and House are out.
CAMPAIGNS
Vanderburgh County Democrats report ‘whole different level of excitement’ for Harris: Cheryl Schultz, chair of the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party, said “We’re having just a ton of requests for Kamala Harris yard signs … It kind of reminds us of 2008, some of that energy.” Barack Obama narrowly defeated John McCain in the county during the 2008 presidential contest. (Langhorne, Courier & Press)
House and Senate Republicans are starting to panic about a huge money gap with Democrats: The leader of House Republicans’ biggest super PAC told donors last month he needed $35 million more to compete with Democrats in the fall. (Politico)
Harris campaign, DNC announce unprecedented down-ballot spending: Kamala Harris’ campaign and the Democratic National Committee are sending nearly $25 million to support down-ballot Democrats — an earlier investment and far more money than the top of the ticket has sent in past election years. (Politico)
PRESIDENTIAL 2024
Biden signals more robust campaign schedule as Trump-Harris race heats up: President Joe Biden is slated to continue a September swing through Rust Belt battleground states, with stops later this week in Wisconsin and Michigan — and signaled he will be on the road more often. (Roll Call)
Poll: Tight race in Michigan — A new WDIV/Detroit News survey conducted between Aug. 26 and Aug. 29 found the presidential race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris is a statistical toss-up.
NATION
Stocks decline in broad retreat on fears of slowdown: The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 626 points and Nasdaq slumped 3.3% after data showed signs of weakness in the manufacturing sector. (The Wall Street Journal)
US manufacturing activity shrinks for 5th straight month: U.S. manufacturing activity shrank in August for a fifth month, reflecting faster rates of declines in orders and production. (Bloomberg)
White House schedule: President Joe Biden will receive the Daily Brief in the morning. Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Portsmouth, N.H., to deliver remarks at an afternoon campaign event before returning to Washington, D.C.