Gov. Mitch Daniels Campaigns in West Lafayette

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels made a campaign stop a Purdue University Tuesday evening, which seemed more like a fireside chat than a raucous election rally.

Daniels is the Republican incumbent governor is running for a second term in office. There was no mention of his Democratic opponent Jill Long Thompson. Actually, Daniels talked didn't speak very much about the hotly contested presidential race when asked in a public forum.

What the former Eli Lilly executive did was talk about Indiana's accomplishments and the future of Indiana. That was plenty for a home run in the crowd of about 1,000 students and supporters sitting and standing on the Purdue Memorial Mall lawn.

Daniels, a former chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, gave a brief opening statement followed about roughly 40 minutes of questions where he elaborated on topics from education, infrastructure, energy and agriculture. Daniels told his audience he ran for governor because he felt it was the right thing to do. He also got a chance to briefly tout the Healthy Indiana Plan for uninsured Hoosiers.

"This wasn't something I was planning on doing," Daniels said. "I didn't spend my life scheming, gaming, planning and running for other offices. When people asked why I did it, you are the answer, young people like you. This state has potential far beyond our performance and so many opportunities to be a leadership state. I'm convinced, and I think the last four years show it, that we can tackle any problem we have and we can unlock any potential we have."
Answering one of his first questions from the audience, Daniels said brain drain -- young, educated residents leaving the state for better jobs -- was one of his top concerns. He said he felt the best way to handle brain drain was growing the economy so young people had a reason to stay.

"We want to make Indiana a magnet for growth," Daniels said. "I met some civil engineering students and we can 't get enough of them. There is a job for every single person with that type of degree or something like that. I met pharmacy students. Our pharmacy schools are growing because we brought in so many high paying jobs in pharmacy. We'll always be a leading manufacturing state, in my opinion, but we're going to be more of an agricultural and agri-business state than we have ever been if we do the right things."

Daniels said Indiana has embraced agriculture in his administration and that will also play an important role in the state's future. He said Indiana couldn't afford to place one economic source over another.

"We are now a top tier state in everybody's rankings, from business attractiveness to growth potential," Daniels said. "Indiana is really alone outside the Sunbelt. We have to come out of nowhere to be a leader in alternative fuels. There is no strategy for our economic future can omit our small towns. There's no strategy for small town recovery can omit agriculture. I like to talk to inner-city audiences about agriculture and they think it's odds but I tell them it shouldn't be. We'll only be a great state when everybody shares."

Daniels also addressed using future growth from the Hoosier Lottery to fund two years of post-secondary education. He said the lottery was sold on the promise that it would go to education and taking future lottery growth to fund those scholarships would make legislators partially keep that originally promise.
He said two education statistics he would like to improve are that fact that only 61 cents of every dollar spent on education in Indiana actually makes it to the classroom and 45 percent of education employees are actually teaching, the third worse ratio in the country.

Randy Truitt, a candidate for state representative, attended the event and said despite the free hamburgers and hot dogs, he believed people attended because of the popularity of Daniels and his positive message for Indiana. Truitt, who serves on West Lafayette city council, is running against Democrat John Polles for the District 26 seat.

"This gathering is incredible and the weather is cooperating with us," Truitt said. "People are really here for the message about Gov. Mitch and what he has done for the State of Indiana. This type of energy and excitement out here is a testament to what he's doing."

Truitt said his campaign is going well and his army of volunteers is making a difference on the trail.

"We're out there with an incredible group of volunteers every single night," Truitt said. "We have a lot of engagements and meeting and I think I can make it to Election Day. People are energized on both sides of the aisle. It's given me and other individuals an opportunity to talk to individuals I might have never had a chance to talk with."

West Lafayette city councilwoman Vicki Burch also attended to support the governor.

"I think Gov. Daniels has done a lot of great things for this state from balancing budgets to creating jobs," Burch said at the event. "He's done a remarkable job these last four years."

Local attorney Randy Williams, a candidate for the Tippecanoe County Superior Court 1 Judge seat, also attended. He is running against Democrat Michael Trueblood and Independent Rebecca Trent for spot of retired judge Don Johnson.

"I'm here to support the Governor and it's given me a chance to meet people I haven't had a chance to meet yet," Williams said. "I think (my campaign) is moving forward."