Topics prepared for discussion on Indiana Week in Review today include:

-Where Evan Bayh and Richard Lugar stand as the health care debate moves to the Senate

-How Indiana House members voted and what influenced them

-CSpan comments by Mitch Daniels regarding health care reform

-More scrutiny for Steve Buyer’s scholarship fund

-State Senate GOP redistricting plan

-mice in kitchens at Lucas Oil Stadium

Melina Kennedy is touting support from Kip Tew this morning.

The Democratic candidate for Mayor of Indianapolis cites Tew’s involvement in the Obama campaign in calling it a key endorsement.  When Tew dropped his own bid for mayor he said that Kennedy had too big a head start.

BTW, Kennedy is using Facebook to spread the word.

State Sen. Bev Gard (R-Greenfield) has withdrawn her endorsement of Brose McVey in the race for Dan Burton’s 5th District Congressional seat.

Gard says she found recent comments by McVey regarding the General Assembly “very offensive.”  McVey was trying to attack opponents Mike Murphy (state representative) and Luke Messer (former representative.)  Gard didn’t like the broad brush he used.  “I asked him to take my name off his printed material,” Gard says.  “This is not the direction I want to see a Congressional election go.”

It’s a blow for McVey in a race that is all about money and endorsements at this stage.  He trails in the money race and put a lot of stock in his endorsements.

(BTW, thanks to Brian Jessen for the tip.)

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce has named Stan Jones as its Government Leader of the Year for 2009.

Jones is the former commissioner of higher education and is cited for reforming the system, particularly the creation of Ivy Tech Community College.  It is an unusual choice both because the Chamber usually selects an elected official (last year’s choice of Joe Kernan and Randall Shepard for their work on government reform was the first exception) and because Jones has left the state for a job in Washington, DC.

Jones will be honored at a dinner tonight.

Tamyra d’Ippolito’s announced plan to challenge Evan Bayh in the 2010 Democratic Primary for U.S. Senate appears on the surface to be more of an aggravation for the Senator than a concern.

The Bloomington restaurant owner, however, has established a website that is interesting for a couple of reasons.  At tamyraforsenate.com you find her position on a range of issues but little biographical information.  In fact, her last name appears on the website only in a testimonial from a supporter.

On the home page she states that “word of mouth is best advertising in the world.”   Most political professionals would disagree.  It will likely take more than word of mouth to attract the 4500 petition signatures she will need to get both her first and last names on the ballot.

State Rep. Cleo Duncan (R-Greensburg) is hanging it up after 8 terms in the Indiana House.

Duncan made the announcement in a tour of her district over the week and issued a statement to the media this morning.  Her cheerful outlook and expertise in transportation matters will be missed.

Meantime, her seat could well become the source of another targeted race in the battle for control.

The Indiana delegation split along party lines in the Health Care vote with Democrats voting yes and Republicans voting no.  No big surprise there but the consequences will vary. 

Democrat Brad Ellsworth, for example, got his name attached to an amendment barring the use of taxpayer funds for abortion.  Pro-life forces like it and that means the vote likely won’t hurt Ellsworth, who appeared jubilant on C-Span last night.

Democrat Baron Hill, meantime, issued new releases all the way up to yesterday afternoon sending the message that he was undecided.  His vote will be a campaign issue next year and opponents will tie it to his early support of President Obama in 2008.

Republicans are all banking that the current public mood is on their side.

State Senate President Pro Tem David Long (R-Fort Wayne) issued a news release today citing steps being taken to cut spending in line with the governor’s cuts announced today.  As one of those measures the Senate will ”continue its current hiring freeze.”

Long issued one other news release today.  It announces the hiring of Adam Harrison as a GOP Senate Policy Analyst.  Is there a disconnect here?

The Indiana Week in Review panel will discuss the following today:

-State Revenue shortfall

-Ohio Casino effects on Indiana

-Brad Ellsworth’s abortion amendment to the health care reform bill

-Wishard Referendum

-Attack on state Rep. Ed DeLaney

-Indiana on Sarah Palin’s book tour

-Tony Bennett’s staff is distributing copies of remarks made by President Obama citing Indiana along with two other states for the elimination of “firewall laws” that prevented teachers from being evaluated based on student test scores.  Indiana eliminated the provision in the current budget bill.  A mechanism must still be created to permit the new evaluations.  Meantime, Mitch Daniels, Bennett, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and the President seem to be in line on education reform again.

-The governor will has called a news conference for tomorrow to discuss October revenues.  That can’t be good news.

-Mike Pence is joining GOP National Chair Michael Steele in a 12 hour Internet town hall to battle the Democratic health care plan, putting that talk show experience to work.

-Invitations are out for the Fall GOP State Dinner.  Mitch Daniels is the featured speaker.  Is that because they couldn’t find anyone better, or because there is no one better?