Anyone who makes Election day predictions has a responsibility to own up to them.  Here’s how I did:

CORRECT PICKS:

Barack Obama wins Indiana

Mitch Daniels wins governor (also correct about a double digit margin)

Greg  Zoeller wins Attorney General

Tony Bennett wins Superintendent of Public Instruction

Democrats maintain control of the Indiana House of Representatives

Voters do away with township assessors (in most cases)

INCORRECT PICK:

Mark Souder loses bid for re-election to Congress

That makes my record 6 right, 1 wrong.

Here are my predictions (first presented on Indiana Week in Review but with further explanation here) for the 2008 Election in Indiana:

President: Leans Obama. This is still a Republican state and John McCain’s last minute visit may still make a difference but I think the Obama organization carries the day.

Governor: Mitch Daniels, hands down, double digits. Tune in to WISH-TV on Election night for details on the mistakes Jill Long Thompson made pursuing a Republican governor who should have been vulnerable in a Democratic year. (He hasn’t even been forced to run a negative ad!)

Attorney General: Greg Zoeller. Did I say it’s still a Republican state? Steve Carter helps Zoeller, so does Mitch Daniels and, while Linda Pence is a good candidate, she did too little TV to pull this off.

Superintendent of Public Instruction: Tony Bennett. Republican.

Congress: Rep. Mark Souder is the most the vulnerable and sounds like a loser in TV interviews so let’s call him one. All of the other 8 incumbents hold on.

Indiana House of Representatives: Democrats hold control. Brian Bosma and the Republicans tried to sneak up on some old-timers including Bill Cochran, Bob Bishoff, and Dennis Avery. That tells me they need gains in places that aren’t readily apparent. Remember, though, if Daniels wins the Republicans need just 50 to win the Speaker’s chair. Democrats need 51.

Bonus Prediction: The referendum to do away with township assessors passes.

Name Identification or Name Recognition, if you prefer, is a precious commodity for any politician.  That’s why MItch Daniels created the My Man Mitch label five years ago.

So, is it a problem if Congressman Mark Souder is called “Mike” in attack mailers from the Democrats?

I know its a problem when an AFL-CIO operative calls me about an event featuring Lt. Governor candidate Dennie Oxley and calls him “Dennis.”  That’s not his name.

Leftover thoughts from Barack Obama’s appearance at Concord High School:

-This morning’s event started almost a half hour late.  Was it held on Evan Bayh time?

-Obama first mispronounced the name of Mike Montagano (the Democrat challenging Congressman Mark Souder) before getting it right.  Its something Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry did at an earlier event and something I did on Indiana Week in Review.  Its mon-TAG-a-no.

-State Democratic Chairman Dan Parker and House Speaker Pat Bauer didn’t get acknowledged by Obama.

-House Speaker Pat Bauer had a new shorter haircut.

-Just two Chicago television stations made the trip to Elkhart and two from Indianapolis.

-A t-shirt and cap vendor outside said it was a bad day.  He blamed it on a small house (1600) and too many vendors.

When Indiana Democrats dream these days, they dream of a Democratic tide in November that includes a gain of two seats in Congress.  The 3rd District held by Republican Mark Souder and the 4th District held by Republican Steve Buyer are the ones they have in mind.

Well, Republicans must be having nightmares along the same theme.  The Republican Congressional campaign people distributed a “survey” in the 4th asking questions you might charitably call slanted. 

Here’s an example:  Do you support the Democrats’ “slow bleed” strategy to “choke-off” funding for our troops in Iraq, leading to their withdrawal and a perception of American defeat?

The possible answers are yes, no, and undecided.  Those who agree can send a donation.