Tim Ping has announced that he will oppose Mike Speedy in the GOP primary in House District 90 on the south side.  It’s the seat being vacated by Mike Murphy.

That’s a compound headache for Republicans.  Murphy leaves a safe seat to take part in a contested Congressional primary (5th CD) and a contested primary pops up in his wake.

State Senator Scott Schneider and state Representative Phil Hinkle will step up the opposition to the Wishard Hospital referendum this afternoon.

They plan a news conference in front of the new downtown library.  Look for them to suggest that Wishard could become a boondoggle on the level of the library construction.

Centaur Gaming, the owner of Hoosier Park Casino, reports that it didn’t make interest payments to senior lenders this week.

In a news release Centaur promises business as usual in Anderson but makes it clear that debt restructuring is ongoing.

MoveOn.org plans demonstrations tomorrow in front of Sen. Evan Bayh’s offices in South Bend and Indianapolis. 

They will deliver a letter that says past donors and volunteers will not support the Democratic Senator’s re-election bid in 2010 if he votes with Republicans to prevent a final vote on health care legislation.

So much for gentle persuasion.

You can make the case that Luke Messer and Mike Murphy are pulling away from the other Dan Burton challengers in the 5th District GOP primary battle.  Their actions in the past two days also create a contrast.

Messer called a news conference yesterday to announce that he has attracted 500 endorsements.  Murphy sent out a news release today to spell out his energy policy.  Murphy endorses clean coal technology and nuclear power among other things in his third policy statement. 

What matters most?

Lobbying reform advocates may want to wait a bit before celebrating a reform proposal made public this morning.

House Speaker Pat Bauer proposed lobbying reforms this morning including a reporting requirement for gifts of $50 or more (the current threshold is $100.)  Republicans, meantime, point out that he killed several similar lobbying reform proposals earlier this year.

The Speaker’s apparent change of heart (though his presentation could be described as half-hearted) may have something to do with an ongoing  investigation into lobbying practices by Indiana newspapers.  There are other possible motivations including a desire to reduce the governor’s ability to assist GOP candidates in next year’s election.

Plus, a provision that applies to lobbyist conflicts of interest could be viewed as a poison pill.

GOP staffers report thaat Mike Cline has departed as the communications director for Indiana House Republicans.   Cline reportedly returned to Marion for a job closer to home.

Cline was a former newspaper man.  Look for Brian Bosma and the Republicans to find a replacement with more of a political slant as they head into the last session before an election that will determine control of the House.

The atrium at the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs will be named for Tavis Smiley in an October 30th ceremony.

A Kokomo native best known as a talk show host on PBS, Smiley is an alumnus of SPEA who is donating $50,000 to a scholarship program there.

Topics scheduled for discussion on Indiana Week in Review today:

-Questions about Steve Buyer’s Charitable Foundation

-The vote to uphold a ban on Sunday liquor sales

-The effort to oust Southport Mayor Rob Thoman

-Carlos May for Congress

-Efforts to privatize the Capital Improvement Board

-Controversy over Titans Coach Jeff Fisher wearing a Peyton Manning jersey

This is the new logo for the Indiana Democratic Party according to the party website.  What do you think?