Quarterly fundraising numbers are in for the Republican candidates looking to oust incumbent Dan Burton in the 5th Congressional District and Luke Messer is out front by a considerable distance.

Messer has $175,000 on hand.  Mike Murphy has almost $81,000.  Brose McVey has $80,000 and John McGoff $33,000.

Dan Burton has $418,000.

Luke Messer’s Republican campaign for Congress in the 5th District is distancing itself from a memo sent out by its campaign co-chairman, P.E. MacAllister.   MacAllister e-mailed a proposal that at least one county chairman finds offensive.  He proposed a selection process to narrow the 4-man field against GOP Congressman Dan Burton. 

“Let all four challengers do their best to line up support, but by the end of the year, say by Christmas time, allow a panel of 25 party elders, respected figures, influential people, major donors, judicious folks from the district, determine which of the four is the best candidate,” the e-mail reads.  It’s plan similar to one proposed by Brose McVey.  Messer had no comment when McVey spoke up and now a Messer spokesperson says that the MacAllister e-mail was not authorized.

Howard County Republican Chairman Craig Dunn called MacAllister a “kingmaker” conducting his own “star chamber” primary.

Brose McVey scheduled a Statehouse news conference tomorrow to call for a Pre-Primary contest to winnow the field in the 5th Congressional District.  McVey is one of 4 Republicans taking on incumbent GOP Congressman Dan Burton.

McVey says he will reveal the details tomorrow, but, do you propose a runoff if you are in a position of strength?

Mike Murphy issued a news release today to announce that three Shelby County Republicans support his opponent.  Really, he did.

The Murphy release states that Shelbyville Mayor Scott Furgeson and two others…, well, just read what the release said:

“All three officials continue in their support of Congressman Dan Burton, but each said if voters are looking for an alternative, Rep. Mike Murphy would be the clear choice.”

Congressman Dan Burton (R-5th District) today helped promote the Tea Party scheduled for Wednesday at the Statehouse.  Burton says he will be there.  So will radio talk show host Greg Garrison who also did some promotion today.

Meantime, there is no organizing taking place inside the Statehouse.

Organizers say they expect a crowd of 8,000 which would be a record for Statehouse rallies in recent years.  (Hint:  it’s always good to exceed expectations.)

The battle to unseat GOP Congressman Dan Burton officially gets more crowded on Thursday.

Look for former state Representative Luke Messer to be in Shelbyville to make a formal announcement of his Republican candidacy in the 5th. 

He joins Brose McVey in that field with Rep. Mike Murphy and John McGoff also giving the race serious consideration.

I’m suddenly getting more e-mail from Congressman Dan Burton’s office and then today I heard a radio commercial for a seminar he conducts for high school seniors.

Do you think he go the Messer-McGoff-Murphy-McVey wake up call?

Anybody thinking he will run from a fight doesn’t know Dan Burton.

State Representative Mike Murphy (R-Indianapolis) began fundraising this week for a potential challenge to Republican Congressman Dan Burton.  He follows Republican Brose McVey who earlier filed his own exploratory committee. 

We talked earlier how this could be a big field but clearly the there is an effort to by Murphy and McVey (look for Luke Messer to follow suit soon) to scare off others with fundraising success.

The inauguration of Governor Mitch Daniels would be big news on another day but Tony Dungy’s retirement stole the headlines.  Can Daniels win back top billing with the State of the State tomorrow?

Congressman Dan Burton had a high profile, appearing with his wife at the Statehouse ceremony.  Meantime, GOP circles are buzzing about prospective opponents to Burton in the 2010 primary.  Names tossed around include Brose McVey, John McGoff, Luke Messer, Suellen Reed, Wayne Seybold, and I’m sure I left someone out.  Mike Delph wants to be in line when Burton steps down but something tells me the interest in his future will discourage any retirement plans.

Only two former governors were in attendance, Otis Bowen and Evan Bayh.  Ed Whitcomb and Joe Kernan didn’t make it.

California Congressman Henry Waxman made big news by winning the chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce Committee supplanting John Dingell.  What’s missing in the national reporting is the fact that, by giving up the House Oversight Committee, Waxman will no longer face off with Indiana Congressman Dan Burton on a regular basis.

The Burton vs. Waxman confrontations lasted through both Republican and Democratic control and really were deserving of a Saturday Night Live routine at times.