Democrat John Gregg is getting some outside help in the race for governor in the form of new attack ads directed at Republican Mike Pence.  Those ads come from a group calling itself Believe in Indiana.

Who is that?  Well, it’s hard to be sure because the organization has no background information on its website and it apparently hasn’t filed any paperwork with the Indiana Secretary of State.

The ads are running in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne and show Pence speaking to a 2011 Tea Party rally in Washington, D.C.  The announcer says, “He’s just like Richard Mourdock, Tea Party and extreme.”

In Fort Wayne Monday, the Republican candidate brushed off the attack.  “You know I think people like candidates to talk more about the issues,” said Pence, “and less about each other.”

Pete Rimsans, a local lobbyist for the Building and Construction Trades, is listed as the contact on a federal filing for the the Believe in Indiana Political Action Committee.  He didn’t respond to calls or an email.

“It’s clearly designed to be a hit piece,” says State Republican Chairman Eric Holcomb, who focused on the fact that the new attack ad was handled by the same media buyer who places ads for the John Gregg campaign.  “For them to think there’s no coordination, it’s laughable and certainly doesn’t pass the smell test,” said Holcomb.

That’s why the Pence campaign wants John Gregg to call on Believe in Indiana to drop the ads.  But there are no state rules that prevent coordination like the ones that apply in federal races.  A spokesman for John Gregg says there is no coordination between the Gregg campaign and Believe in Indiana.  But he also defends the message in that ad.  Says Daniel Altman, “The ad speaks for itself.”