Importantville: Inside Donnelly's decision
What's happening—and what's next—at the intersection of Indiana politics and business.
By Adam Wren and design by Kris Davidson
Days to Election Day: 36
DONNELLY’S DECISION: When Sen. Joe Donnelly announced he was a “no” vote on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court Friday, he positioned his statement around needing to “get all the information necessary regarding this nomination.” He pointed to the lack of an FBI investigation into the “disturbing and credible” allegations.
Now that an expanded FBI background check is underway, it’s worth asking: Is Donnelly happy with the scope of the investigation? I reached out to Donnelly’s Senate office yesterday, but have received no response. On Friday, Donnelly told the The Times of Northwest Indiana that “the FBI would have to talk to the people considered witnesses, depending on how these claims come out, so that we can find out as much information as possible to make better decisions.”
Minutes after Donnelly issued his statement, I asked his Chief of Staff Joel Elliott when Donnelly knew he would be a “no.” “He is truly puzzled by the knee jerk, out-of-the-gate endorsements and rejections of nominees,” Elliott told me. “His emphasis on process, information-gathering and deliberation comes from him. It’s real. So when you take that approach, there’s no magic moment.”
On Saturday, in a Jasper interview with CBS, Mike Braun predicted that Donnelly's decision would benefit Republicans. “The Earth shook a little bit,” Braun said.
Asked if he thinks Donnelly will reconsider his opposition with an FBI investigation underway, Braun predicted a reversal from Donnelly would help Braun’s campaign and his base.
“It would even move things further in my direction because it would show that he pretty well blows in the wind with whatever is politically expedient,” Braun said.
Donnelly’s decision came before Sunday’s third-quarter fundraising deadline. On Twitter, national and local Democrats praised Donnelly’s decision, and encouraged donations to his campaign. It will be fascinating to see how many contributions came into Donnelly’s coffers after his Kavanaugh announcement. Indiana Republicans fundraised off the news, too. The pitch, from GOP Chairman Kyle Hupfer:
When Democrats realized they couldn’t take down Judge Kavanaugh on his merits, they created a media circus around uncorroborated allegations. And Democrat Joe Donnelly fell for their ploy....Would you be willing to chip in $25, $50, $100, $250 or more to send a message to Democrat Joe Donnelly that his days in the Senate are numbered?
This morning, Braun spokesman Josh Kelley criticized Donnelly for his stance on Kavanaugh.
Senator Donnelly blows in the wind like a spineless politician and followed Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer’s order to oppose Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination. While Donnelly faces heat for abandoning Hoosier values that Kavanaugh would protect, the fact remains he opposed the nomination before there was any agreement for a supplemental FBI investigation.
Good Monday morning. The Supreme Court returns today without a ninth justice. We are just 6 days out from the first Indiana Senate debate. Look for an Importantville Debate Bingo card in the coming days.
WHERE’S VEEP? He has lunch with the president, attends the president's presentation of the Congressional Medal of Honor, and meets with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.
WHERE’S GOV. HOLCOMB? In the Supreme Court Courtroom at the Indiana Statehouse, for the robing ceremony of Honorable Elizabeth F. Tavitas.
NEW AD AGAINST BRAUN, per Politico’s Morning Score: “FIRST IN SCORE — Majority Forward, the nonprofit organization aligned with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, is running a new ad attacking Republican Mike Braun in Indiana. The ad criticizes Braun over the health care plan he offered employees at his business, and criticizes him on coverage for pre-existing conditions and charging higher health care rates for the elderly.”
BANKS HELPS COMMISSION THE U.S.S. Indiana: “Congressman Jim Banks (IN-03) delivered the principal speech at the U.S. Navy’s commissioning of the USS Indiana on Saturday in Port Canaveral, Florida,” per his office.IMPORTANTVILLE READS
James Varney and David Sherfinski, The Washington Times: “Red-state Democrats say they won't confirm Kavanaugh”
The one-week pause on the Supreme Court confirmation process for Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh might not be enough to change the minds of red-state Democratic senators who already have announced their opposition, siding with the base of their party on the issue over the partisan leanings of their respective states.
Key Democrats in Montana, Indiana and Florida — all states won by President Trump in 2016 — revealed their decision to vote against Judge Kavanaugh late last week, after dramatic testimony a day earlier that saw him and Christine Blasey Ford, who accused him of sexually assaulting her in the 1980s, testify about the alleged assault.
AP: Vice president's son completes Navy training in Mississippi
The son of U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence has graduated from naval aviator training in Mississippi with his father looking on.
The Meridian Star reports 1st Lt. Michael Pence was among seven pilots pinned with golden wings Friday at Naval Air Station Meridian in Mississippi.
The vice-president presented each graduate with a challenge coin. Both Pences declined interviews.
IMPORTANTVILLE ABOUT TOWN
On IN Focus, I joined Fox 59’s Dan Spehler to chat about Donnelly’s decision, what it means for Indiana's Senate race and more yesterday. You can listen here.
And here’s the IN Focus podcast.
That’s all for today. Thanks for reading. Have a good week. Did someone forward this email to you? You can subscribe here.