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?

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.

Luke Messer will file the papers to launch a congressional race Thursday.  Look for the ceremonial announcement Friday or Monday.

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.

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.

Today’s taping of Indiana Week in Review produced a first, an on air apology.

During a discussion of the governor’s race Republican Luke Messer said that under Mitch Daniels property taxes went down.  “Not on my house!” said Democrat Ann DeLaney.  That led Messer to refer to her “fancy” house.

DeLaney later found an opening to mention Messer’s partner status at the big law firm IceMiller (neither Messer nor DeLaney used the term elitist, by the way.)

Messer immediately took back the fancy house comment in a move unlike any I remember in 17 years of broadcasts.

So far, all the talk about Senator Evan Bayh possibly becoming Barack Obama’s running mate stops right there.  But what if Bayh gets the job, and then gets elected Vice President?

That would create a vacancy in the U. S. Senate and the vacancy gets filled through an appointment by the governor.  Because the next Indiana governor takes office before the Vice President does, the winner of the Mitch Daniels/Jill Long Thompson race will get the honor. 

If its Daniels, there is already speculation that Congressman Mike Pence would get top consideration.  A Pence appointment to the Senate would create a vacancy in Congress and, therefore, a 2009 special election in a year with no other elections.  Former Republican state lawmaker Luke Messer might be a candidate for that opening (a Republican governor won’t create the opening without some idea of how he wants it filled.)

If its Long Thompson, it makes sense that Evan Bayh will get considerable input into the selection of his replacement.  That makes Bart Peterson a possibility, or maybe Bill Moreau. 

Make your own projections.  Isn’t this fun?

John McCain promised during a one-on-one interview today (excerpts on 24 Hour News 8 at 5 and 5:30 with an extended version at 6)  to campaign in Indiana with town hall meetings and other stops.  Plus, his campaign now has a front person here, if not field staff.

Luke Messer, former state legislator and former executive director of the Indiana Republican Party, now carries the title of Indiana co-chair for the McCain campaign.  Look for him to be the primary spokesman here.