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IN-04: Buyer Will Retire

by: James L.

Fri Jan 29, 2010 at 10:49 AM EST


From the Indy Star:

U.S. Rep. Steve Buyer will announce this morning he is not running for re-election.

Buyer will make his announcement at 11 a.m. at a news conference at University Hospital in Indianapolis. [...]

Buyer has come under fire for a charitable scholarship organization he founded, The Frontier Foundation, which has raised money from groups and businesses with interests before the committees he serves on in Congress. The group has spent money on lavish golf outings, but so far has not given out any scholarships. Buyer has said he is waiting until the group had raised $1 million, in order to be self-sustaining.

This is at least a bit of a surprise to us -- Buyer wasn't on our open seat watch. Open seat fans shouldn't expect too much fireworks from this race beyond the primary, though, as the district's PVI is R+14. Bush won this district by 66-32 and 69-30 margins in 2000 and 2004, respectively, and McCain by 56-43 in '08. That's a pretty dramatic drop for the GOP, but they were up against the full onslaught of the Obama field campaign's effort to squeeze out every possible Dem vote out in the Indianapolis 'burbs.

(Hat-tip: Blue Indiana)

RaceTracker Wiki: IN-04
James L. :: IN-04: Buyer Will Retire
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IN-04: Buyer Will Retire | 31 comments
Nothing to see here
The Dems packed this seat with Republicans in 2002.  
I can honestly say...
As a total political junkie, I have never heard of Steve Buyer in my life. Talk about a back-bencher!
Actually
He was quite visible in the late '90s, as one of the thirteen House impeachment managers against Clinton.

Ergo, I say, GOOD F***ING RIDDANCE.

Male, 23, DC-At Large

[ Parent ]
He might have been best known
for is starring role in Auto-Tune-the-News, warning us about smoking lettuce.  Other than that, I'm not suprised you haven't heard of him!
[ Parent ]
Same Here
Never ever heard of this person. I also was 10 at the time of the Clinton impeachment so that might explain it.
[ Parent ]
I live in the district
Even though I am a Republican (still enjoy this site though), I'm happy to see him go.  
Can you elaborate?
It would be interesting to know why Rs are not happy with other Rs.
[ Parent ]
I assume...
That this is at least in part due to the corruption issues that Talking Points Memo has been reporting on for a while now (fundraising for a "charitable foundation" which seems to fly Buyer to golf tournaments and employ his kids but not give out any actual scholarship money):

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpoi...

[ Parent ]
Aha! That's where I know this guy from!

[ Parent ]
I thought that Dan Burton is more likely to retire than Buyer
so yes it took me somewhat by surprise.
[ Parent ]
Likely Republican at least
In 2008 it could be different, but not this cycle. Even if economy improves..
IN
Hopefully we run someone even if its a likely loss.

29/D/Male/NY-01
Probably not speaking for most GOPers
I'm generally a more moderate/pragmatic conservative.

Most of my dislike for Steve Buyer is that , at least the times I heard him speak, he came off as kind of an ass.  A few too many cheap shots at the Democrats, the kind of stuff you would expect from a 2nd or 3rd tier talk radio host like Monica Crowley or someone of that nature.

Not sure who is on the Republican bench here.  The Democratic nominee is probably going to be David Sanders, who has run for the seat and lost.   But this race will almost definately be decided in the May primary

Is there a chance
for relatively moderate republican candidate (as far as i know - that's rarity in Indiana, but still...)?
[ Parent ]
Unlikely
Hard for me to gauge the ideological make up of the district, but the Republican nominee is likely to be a down the line conservative.

Democrats' best hope is probably a Republican who isn't particularly popular but gets elected in a district like this because of the R next to his name.  Someone like that could potentially be vulnerable whenever the next Dem wave election is.

[ Parent ]
Thanks!

[ Parent ]
Or..
Or could be vulnerable post-redistricting...

Kansan by birth, Californian by choice, and Gay by the grace of God.
[ Parent ]
Redistricting
I doubt redistricting will have any significant detriment to Republican chances in this district.  Statehouse GOP will be in the driver seat for redistricting, since they control the Governors mansion and Senate.  The only question is whether Democrats will be able to hold onto the House to have any input at all.

I wouldn't be surprised if this district is made a LITTLE less Republican, just to make other surrounding districts (like IN-08 and IN-09) more Republican.  But this will still be a strong Republican seat.

[ Parent ]
Illness
http://www.fox59.com/news/wxin...

Apparently, the reason given for this sudden announcement is that his wife has been diagnosed with terminal illness.  Despite my dislike for the man politically, it goes without saying that we all wish the best for him and his family.

Indeed
Politics should always take a back seat.
[ Parent ]
Oh.
Alright, now I just feel a little guilty about the "GOOD F***ING RIDDANCE" remark...

Male, 23, DC-At Large
[ Parent ]
And from the news story...
it's the same disease that killed her sister less than 2 years ago.  Looks to be hereditary.  Sad.

BTW, the Fox59 link's URL has in it "resigns", which isn't correct.  Buyer is retiring, not resigning.  Resigning usually means a special election must be held, because the Congressman is leaving ASAP.  As far as I can tell, Buyer will be completing his term up to next January.

[ Parent ]
Thanks!

Ackerson
and chance Nels comes back for another race?

Check out http://electioninspection.word... for the latest news, election results, poll analysis, and predictions
Probably not
Ackerson has previously said he did not have an interest in running in 2010.  Of course that could change now, but my guess is that the Democrats will nominate David Sanders, a Purdue University professor and their candidate in 2004/2006 cycles.
[ Parent ]
David Sanders
Has already filed.

2010 Race Tracker Wiki
Todd Rokita
I heard on Indiana Week in Review that the IN Secretary of State who's thinking about challenging Evan Bayh is supposedly thinking about running here instead. That'd be a big blow to our chances against Bayh. I suppose he sees that IN Governor in 2012 is closed (Mike Pence) and that Bayh is probably too steep a hill to climb.
I doubt it
I think Pence will either run for President or Senate in 2012. Or if the republicans get the House back, he may not want to give up a leadership post, I am not saying it's going to happen though. As for Rokita I think politically running here would be the best choice he has, because I think the Senate and Governor races in 2012 will be crowded, and Bayh is not going down.  

Proud member of the Indiana Democratic Party from IN-9.  
[ Parent ]
I'm actually not entirely surprised.
The scholarship fund thing has been in the news locally for months, and pretty much everyone in the state now knows how much of a dirtbag he is. Still, given the lean of the district I expected him to keep on stubbornly refusing to admit wrongdoing like he's been doing for months and run again anyway. Something must've really snapped behind the scenes for him to be quitting now. Wonder if this means we'll be seeing a top-tier Republican (or at least a teabagger) filing to replace him soon.

There's not a snowball's chance in hell that we take this district as it's currently drawn in this national climate, but being rid of Buyer is satisfying enough. At least the new guy won't have his seniority, and will probably be a little bit less odious to boot.

He is not running
Because his wife is terminally ill

Proud member of the Indiana Democratic Party from IN-9.  
[ Parent ]
Secretary of State Todd Rokita is running for Buyer's House Seat not Senate
IN-04: Buyer Will Retire | 31 comments

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