The field to replace disgraced former Indiana 3rd district Congressman Mark Souder on the general election and (yet-to-be-announced) special election ballots expanded again today.
According to the Ft. Wayne Journal Gazette, businessman Lonnie Powell is throwing his hat into the ring.
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100525/BLOGS01/100529722
That makes 11 candidates. What about an even dozen?
On Facebook, a draft Paul Helmke movement has emerged. The ‘Paul Helmke for Congress’ page states:
“Paul Helmke is the most reasonable political leader who ever came out of NE indiana. We don’t know if he has an interest in being a member of Congress, but we want to draft him to serve.”
Have a look for yourself:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Paul-Helmke-for-Congress/111929555516866?ref=search&sid=4veJJxnprEZ8DY5FEeUNjg.3878047291..1
Helmke served as Ft. Wayne’s mayor and is a something of a rarity as a gun-control Republican. He is currently the president of the DC-based Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
Today, there are reports the 520 GOP committeemen and women in Indiana’s 3rd Congressional district will gather June 12th in Columbia City to select a replacement Republican candidate.
The winner of the GOP caucus will face Democrat Tom Hayhurst in the general election…and state partry officials have signaled Hayhurst is a shoe-in to be selected for the special election as well.