Election woes don't lessen governor's zeal to lead
BYLINE: MATTHEW TULLY
Gov. Mitch Daniels stood on stage at a Downtown hotel Thursday afternoon, waxing about the need to "think big and act big."
As the governor talked, I whispered to one of his aides that Daniels has seemed particularly energized since his fellow Republicans lost control of the Indiana House on Tuesday.
"You all expected him to have his dobber down," she said. "That's just not who he is."
I didn't really expect Daniels to spend much time with his "dobber down." (Actually, I had to Google that phrase just to find out what it meant.) But I did entertain the possibility that Tuesday's GOP losses would slow Daniels down -- at least for a day or two.
A long weekend, perhaps?
No chance.
There he was Thursday, pitching a colossal and potentially problematic plan to build a toll road through five suburban Indianapolis counties. There he was, calling for the new road to be leased out, even though a similar plan caused so much grief earlier this year.
Daniels said his "bold stroke" would bring new "job zones" to cities from Pendleton to Martinsville. He said a private firm would build and pay to run the road, and that cash would let the long-planned I-69 extension to Evansville be a free drive.
After a year in which some voters rejected Daniels' biggest ideas, he's back at it. After a calm autumn, he's back with a long-term plan he says will spur economic development. He's acting as if Tuesday never happened -- and if that means he's a one-termer, oh well.
Speaking to a group of engineers Thursday, Daniels said he wants to show "the nation that today's Indiana is a place of new ideas and of progress."
It's probably too soon to say if his new highway is a good idea. But it clearly shows that no matter who runs the House, Daniels controls the agenda. His agenda might fly. Or it might flop. Either way, the debates will be based on his ideas.
Perhaps this shouldn't be surprising. After all, Democrats eked out what appears to be only a 51-49 House majority. That is hardly a sweeping denunciation of Daniels. And despite dire predictions, Republicans held on to all of their House seats in Indiana Toll Road counties.
Still, there's no denying Daniels has a serious popularity problem in some parts of Indiana -- particularly up north. Will his new plan bring him trouble around here?
"The devil is in the details," said Sen. Beverly Gard, R-Greenfield. "It depends on how many subdivisions (the new road) cuts through."
The good news for Daniels is that the road would cut through GOP strongholds, where friendly ears will at least listen. The bad news is that he can't get re-elected if he loses voters there. Fortunately, he has the Toll Road battle to learn from.
The lessons are clear: Pitch your idea like a desperate salesman. Spend hours talking to residents -- and more hours listening to them. (And while you're at it, show this suburban highway won't drain the Indianapolis/Marion County economy.)
Daniels proved long ago that he has big ideas. But he hasn't proved he can sell them without ticking off half of the state.
Matthew Tully's column runs on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Reach him at (317) 444-6033 or via e-mail at matthew.tully@indystar.com