I’ll ask for predictions from the Indiana Week in Review panel on tonight’s show.  Here are mine in advance:

Political Story of the Year for 2009: 

Government Reform.  I say Mitch Daniels will succeed in his efforts to consolidate government to the degree that he can claim victory.

Surprise of the Year: 

Its unfair of me to pose this one but, since I did, here goes:  Republicans and Democrats in the General Assembly will cooperate for the second year in a row.

Politician to watch in 2009:

Congressman Mike Pence.  His new position as GOP Conference Chair will make or break his ambition for higher office.

Congressman Mike Pence says he wants to make sure his new duties as GOP conference chair don’t interfere with his 6th district representation.   Pence says he plans to appear in the district every two weeks or so, which is his normal routine.

As a result, he will turn down some national travel opportunities associated with his leadership position. 

Also, Pence press secretary Matt Lloyd will move over to the conference chair communications staff.  Pence says one reason for the move is Lloyd’s knowledge of the Indiana media so that local reporters will get consideration from both his district office and the leadership office.

In remarks to the Republican Governor’s Association meeting in Miami today Indiana Congressman Mike Pence claimed a new hero (as opposed to his frequent references to Ronald Reagan.)  It’s Jack Kemp.  Pence joked that he dyes his hair to look like Kemp.

He said that Republicans should find their own way to celebrate our first African American President when Barack Obama is inaugurated and then follow Kemp’s example of minority outreach.  Mitch Daniels sets a pretty good example, too, collecting 20% percent of the black vote on November 4th.

That’s something Republicans can build on.

Congressman Mike Pence is a candidate for the number 3 leadership post in the Republican Conference, Conference Chairman.  Not surprisingly, he quoted Ronald Reagan in a letter to fellow members announcing his candidacy, a quote calling for effective communications.

Pence is endorsed by Minority Leader John Boehner and so far unopposed.  The election is November 19.

Mike Pence lost his chance to give a speech on the stage at the Republican National Convention last night but he gave the speech he prepared for national TV this morning.  He gave it to a pretty sizable crowd, too.

Pence addressed the Texas delegation at breakfast in a hotel just across the street from the Xcel Center in downtown St. Paul.  The Indiana congressman estimated the crowd at 500.

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 will hold a town hall meeting in the Emmis Building tomorrow right outside the radio studio where Mike Pence once hosted a talk show.  Pence is in town today filing the paperwork to run for re-election.

So, with speculation about a McCain/Pence ticket floating around, should we expect a nice photo opportunity with the Congressman and the Senator tomorrow? 

No.  Pence won’t even be there.  He has town hall meetings of his own scheduled in his district.

Plus, Pence still hasn’t given McCain a formal endorsement. 

The conventional wisdom says John McCain needs a conservative running mate and an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal suggests that Indiana Congressman Mike Pence could be the answer.

Pence is one of five conservatives listed in the piece by Pat Toomey, a former Pennsylvania Congressman.  As Toomey points out, Pence’s conservative credentials are solid.

Pence, meantime, has not yet endorsed McCain, or any other candidate for President.   He may be reaching out, however.  In a speech in Washington this morning, Pence will give his take on what McCain needs to do to attract conservative support.