Published: October 11, 2008 09:37 pm            

Indiana’s Congressional 8th District Preview

TERRE HAUTE — The race for Indiana’s Republican-leaning 8th District congressional seat features two candidates who claim to have conservative values.

Tapped by Congressional Quarterly as one of the key “races to watch” in November, the 8th District pits freshman incumbent Brad Ellsworth, D-Evansville, against Greg Goode, R-Terre Haute.

Ellsworth is running as a “Blue Dog” Democrat — moderate to conservative — while Goode says he would provide a solidly conservative voice in Congress.

Democrats hold a 36-seat majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, thanks in part to Ellsworth and 22 other Democrats who unseated incumbent Republicans in 2006. Ellsworth defeated former Congressman John Hostettler by a margin of 61 to 39 percent.

Goode, a former chief public affairs officer at Indiana State University, has challenged Ellsworth by saying the former Vanderburgh County sheriff ran for office in 2006 as a conservative, but has not always voted like one.

Ellsworth, 50, counters that he is fiscally conservative, opposes abortion, favors reducing red tape for small business and is committed to supporting U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ellsworth also stresses his ability to work with Democrats and Republicans.

“I’m a little bit right of center,” Ellsworth said. “In fact, even a little bit to the right of some of the Republican congressmen,” according to the nonpartisan National Journal, he said. “I think the people expect us to work together with everybody on the issues that concern them,” Ellsworth said.

Goode, 35, is quick to point out Ellsworth voted against the Iraqi troop “surge” last year and also voted to make Nancy Pelosi, D-Cal., Speaker of the House. “I think he let a lot of people down” when he supported Pelosi, Goode said, calling Pelosi probably the most liberal House Speaker in U.S. history.

Ellsworth says he voted against the troop surge because he did not think it would be large enough to make Iraq more secure. “I’m pleasantly surprised that it’s had the security effect that it has … but it’s not a secure place. It’s still a very dangerous place.”

And Ellsworth notes Pelosi was the only Democratic Party choice for Speaker. “I don’t know what [Goode] expected. All the Democrats voted for her.” Goode counters that former Congressman Hostettler once voted “present” rather than “yes” for the Republican Party’s nominee.

Goode is also critical of Ellsworth’s support for the financial rescue package recently passed by Congress. Goode says, while he thinks Washington needed to do something about the crisis, he would have voted against the bill.

“I thought that that was the wrong bill,” Goode said. A better bill would have demanded the resignation of U.S. Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, changes in accounting regulations and a suspension of the capital gains tax for up to 12 weeks. Goode also said a good bail-out bill also would not have included $200 billion in what he called “pork and earmarks.”

“Nobody wanted to do it, but it was the palatable decision,” Ellsworth said of the rescue package. Credit markets were drying up, which was harming small businesses and ordinary Americans, he said. Ellsworth said he consulted with community bankers and others knowledgeable of the problem. “They were all telling me … this has to happen in the best interest of … everyday Joe. If this was just Wall Street, I’d have never done it,” he said.

Both Ellsworth and Goode say they are strongly pro-life, but Goode says Ellsworth supported a bill, HR 2764, that included funding for abortions.

“Here’s what people hate about Washington,” Ellsworth said. That legislation, the $1.2 trillion 2007 omnibus appropriations bill, also included funding for Interstate 69 and funding for U.S. troops, he said, adding “I have a strong pro-life record.”

Earlier this year, Ellsworth had a clear advantage in money raising, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. As of June 30, Ellsworth had raised around $1.2 million while Goode had raised $143,574, the organization reported. Goode said he expects to raise enough money to get his message out.

Ellsworth says his top priorities include watching to see if the financial rescue package works, reducing American dependence on oil, and health care. He also said as long as U.S. troops are in harms way, “they will always be first and foremost in my mind.”

Goode said the economy should be the first priority of Congress right now. He would work to lower taxes, decrease regulation and offer protection from “frivolous” lawsuits. Taxation, regulation and litigation are the greatest threats to the American economy, he said.

Ellsworth serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the Agriculture Committee and the Small Business Committee. Goode says he would aim to join the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in order to bring more federal money to 8th District communities. He also would like a spot on the Armed Services Committee and the Education and Workforce Committee, he said.

Both Ellsworth and Goode say they support “fair trade,” not necessarily free trade, although Ellsworth voted in favor of the Peru Free Trade Agreement, which Goode said he would have opposed.

The 8th District stretches from Evansville to north of Covington and includes all or part of 18 Hoosier counties. Despite electing Ellsworth, the district leans Republican, according to the 2008 Almanac of American Politics. Republican President George W. Bush carried the district with 62 percent of the vote in 2004 and with 56 percent in 2000. Democratic President Bill Clinton carried the district twice, as well, but by only 2 percent.

Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.




Candidate Bios

Brad Ellsworth

Age: 50

Education: Bachelor’s degree from Indiana State University at Evansville. Master’s degree in criminology from Indiana State University.

Experience: Employee of the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Department from 1982 to 2006. Elected sheriff of Vanderburgh County in 1998. Elected to Indiana’s 8th District congressional seat in 2006.

Family: Married to wife, Beth, for 26 years. One daughter.

Key endorsements: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Indiana Farm Bureau, National Rifle Association, Indiana Fraternal Order of Police and the AFL-CIO.

Web site: www.ellsworthforcongress.com.



Greg Goode

Age: 35

Education: Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Indiana State University. Master of Arts from ISU in history and currently a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy at Virginia Tech University.

Experience: Chief public affairs officer for ISU, 2001-2007; chief of staff for Indiana Congressman Brian Kerns and legislative assistant and constituent service director for former Congressman Ed Pease.

Family: Married to wife, Leslie, since 2000. Two children.

Key endorsements: Indiana Right to Life, Wabash Valley Right to Life and the Second Amendment Patriots.

Web site: www.greggoode.com.

        

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