Kernan visits Portland (10/22/04)

Hoosiers have some big concerns — maintaining existing jobs and drawing new ones to Indiana, funding for education and affordable health care to name just a few. Gov. Joseph Kernan asked Jay County Democrats Thursday evening for their votes so that he can continue the battle on their behalf.

Kernan, who took office last fall following the death of Gov. Frank O’Bannon, was the keynote speaker at the Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner at the Jay County Fairgrounds. He faces Republican challenger Mitch Daniels in his first run for the state’s highest elected office.

A navy veteran of the Vietnam War, he served three terms as mayor of South Bend. He was elected lieutenant governor in 1996, and he and O’Bannon were re-elected in 2000. While still lieutenant governor, he announced he would not run for governor. However, he opted to run after taking office last year.

More than 200 local Democrats — the largest crowd ever gathered for the annual event — packed the Women’s Building and eagerly awaited the governor’s arrival. Kernan also made campaign stops in Wayne and Randolph counties earlier in the day.

The governor made the rounds to all the tables, shaking hands and chatting and joking with those in attendance before sitting down for a quick bite to eat.

“What you see is what you get,” Jay County Democrat Party chairman Tim Southworth said to introduce Kernan. “He cares about the state. He cares about you and me ... We need someone to look out for us, and we need Joe Kernan for governor.”

In the early days of his administration, Kernan said, he was proud of the bipartisan cooperation — especially from House Speaker Pat Bauer and Senate Pro Tem Bob Garton — that followed O’Bannon’s death. Both Republicans and Democrats asked themselves “How do work our way through it?

“We hadn’t been through this in more than 100 years,” Kernan said, adding, “It made me proud to be from Indiana.”

But with the election just 11 days away and many of the state races neck and neck, Kernan said Democrats must stand together for Indiana.

“We have to fight for jobs,” he said. Contrary to beliefs held by some in Washington, D.C., he said, “Outsourcing (of jobs) is not inevitable .... It’s time for us to go on the offense (to keep jobs in the United States and Indiana) ... Just give us a level playing field.”

Kernan also wants to focus funding and attention on the state’s students.

“The name of the game is education, and we have a plan to get there without raising taxes” by redirecting some state resources, he said. “We need to make sure that our colleges and universities remain affordable,” he added.

But Kernan said the issue most often raised by the Hoosiers he’s spoken with on the campaign trail is health care.

“Six hundred thousand people in our state have no health insurance,” he said. Many others are seeing their coverage cut or eliminated as businesses grapple with the rising costs. “I believe through the Hoosier Health Plan we can help them,” he said.

“The cost of our prescriptions is continuing to rise,” he said, which forces some Indiana residents to cut their pills in half, skip doses or go without. He’s hoping for support from other elected officials, health care providers and pharmaceutical companies to stem the tide of rising costs.

“It’s a crisis here in our state ... We’ve got to drive down the cost of prescription drugs,” he said. If a solution isn’t found soon, he said, “I will support whatever it takes to drive down the cost of prescription drugs.”

Also Thursday, Kernan defended the tough stand he has taken against Daniels.

“You will hear from my opponent that I’ve been unfair,” specifically his criticism of Daniels’ involvement in the sale of Indiana-based IPALCO. But Kernan said, “Let me tell you who the victims are,” and then listed several Hoosiers who lost most of their life savings after the company was sold to a Virginia-based firm. “The list goes on and on,” he said.

For Daniels to have to face that criticism is “fair game. It’s a decision he made,” Kernan said. “He wants me to back off. But by God, it was bad judgment, and he should be held accountable for it.

“The people of Indiana are going to make a decision on Nov. 2,” he said, “I trust their judgment.”

Kernan also asked for support for other local Democratic candidates, especially District 33 State Rep. Ron Liggett of Redkey.

“We need Ron Liggett back in Indianapolis,” the governor said. “No ifs, ands or buts. He’s a warrior on behalf of working families ... I ask you please over the next 12 days do all you can for Ron Liggett and the good candidates here in Jay County.”

The long-time state rep is locked in a tight race with GOP challenger Bill Davis, a Portland businessman. Liggett made a brief appearance at Thursday’s dinner before leaving for a debate elsewhere in the district.

All of the Democratic candidates for county seats attended the dinner, including Gary Theurer (Commissioner, South District), who is unopposed; Jason Davidson (Commissioner, North District); Andy Schemenaur, Ted Champ and Lisa Barnett (county council at-large); and Mark Barnett (county coroner).

Southworth also spoke of the party’s need to rally its member on Election Day. “It’s going to come down to our friends. We need to get people to the polls,” he said, “Let’s get the job done.”[[In-content Ad]]