Analysis: Battles’ decision is bad news for Democrats

By Lesley Weidenbener
TheStatehouseFile.com            

Democratic Rep. Kreg Battles of Vincennes announced last week that he won’t be seeking reelection and is actually resigning his seat now.

Analysis button in JPGThe decision means the House minority caucus is losing one of its best and most accessible spokesmen. But it’s also a sign of what’s to come if Democrats can’t win back more seats – and soon.

Battles, a teacher, came to the General Assembly eight years ago. I should acknowledge that he was one of my teachers. I was in his chemistry class at Lincoln High School and he also served as the advisor to the student council when I was a member. So I’ve known Battles for years.

He said Friday he’s giving up the seat to spend more time with his family and called being a legislator “a very selfish endeavor that forces a person’s family to take a back seat sometimes.”

“With five grandsons becoming more active, I need to have the time to attend their activities.,” he said. “I don’t want them to ever feel that they have taken a back seat to anything. I want them to know they are my first and most important priority.”

The problem for Democrats is that Battles is an outstanding spokesman for the party’s causes – a guy who can be persuasive at the microphone or in a committee meeting.

He’s also a lawmaker who can talk to the media intelligently and directly about almost any issue. He knows how to produce a sound bite while still offering context and depth.

I have gone to Battles countless times seeking a comment on stories, whether they be about politics or public policy. And I’ve sent the reporters who work for me to him time and again because he’s so good at explaining complex issues in ways that folks new to an issue can understand.

And I’m not alone. My colleagues in the Statehouse press corps also quote Battles regularly on education, utilities and other key issues.

Of course, Battles isn’t the Democratic caucus’ only good spokesman. House Minority Leader Scott Pelath of Michigan City, Rep. Linda Lawson of Hammond, Rep. Charlie Brown of Gary and Rep. Steve Stemler of Jeffersonville are among the Democrats whom I go to regularly for comments.

But Battles’ decision to leave might be the harbinger of things to come for Democrats.

Although he stressed family issues in his explanation for leaving the legislature, Battles has also been frustrated serving in what’s called a “super minority,” which occurred after the last election. It means Democrats have so few members that they can’t even deny the Republicans a quorum. GOP members could hold a session without them present and never break a single rule doing it.

For Battles, that’s been demoralizing and drained some of the enthusiasm that’s needed to be an effective legislator. And I’d guess that lack of power makes it a whole lot tougher to leave your family behind for months to be in Indianapolis during the session.

So Battles probably isn’t alone in his frustration.

To keep other members from following his lead, Democratic leaders need to figure out how to pick more seats in November so they can at least regain some of the power they’ve lost in recent years.

Battles did do his Democratic colleagues a favor. By resigning after the primary, he gives local Democrats the opportunity to pick the new legislator for District 45, a process that involves a vote by the precinct committeemen in the district.

Then Democrats – if they choose – can put that same candidate on the ballot for November, replacing Battles. That gives his successor time to serve on summer study committees and build up some record he or she can use to run as an incumbent.

But there’s no guarantee a Democrat will win the seat again. And unless Democrats can pick up other seats too, more of their members might find that it’s just easier to go back home and try to make a difference locally.

Lesley Weidenbener is the executive editor of TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.