The political setting is not new to this year's Republicancandidate for governor, but running for office is. Mitch Danielshas served in appointed governmental and political positions, butthis is the first time he has run for an office.
Daniels has worked with Sen. Richard Lugar, President RonaldRegan and President George H. W. Bush. He has also worked forIndiana-based corporations, the Hudson Institute and Eli Lilly andCompany.
Most recently, in January 2001, Daniels accepted the position ofdirector of the Office of Management and Budget at President GeorgeW. Bush's request.
He stepped down from this position in June 2003 to return toIndiana and begin his gubernatorial campaign.
Daniels said it is time for a change of party in Indiana.
"As I watched, I became frustrated with the decline that 16years of one party's leadership has been bringing to the state ofIndiana," Daniels said. "There has been a reduction ofopportunities for young people. Others have sat by, but I want todo something about it."
Daniels has special support from the Ball State community. Hispress secretary, Mark Otter, graduated from Ball State in 1991 witha double major in political science and telecommunications. Afterworking around the country in radio, Otter said he wanted to comehome to Indiana.
"I wanted to raise my daughter here," Otter said.
Otter was working for the Indiana State Republican party whenDaniels offered him the position as press secretary.
"I jumped at the opportunity to work with the campaign," Otterssaid. "This was my ultimate goal."
Senior political science major Brett Moch also assists Danielsin his campaign for governor.
"I was lucky enough to be chosen to be a student ambassador forthe campaign," Moch said. "It has been really fun."
He and nine other students make up a team of interns whose goalis to visit every nursing home in the state of Indiana by the endof the summer. At the nursing homes, Moch and his fellow internshand out stickers, information about Daniels and voter registrationforms. Moch said he registered 200 to 225 voters this summer.
The student ambassadors also work at booths set up at localfairs, parades and festivals.
Moch said he plans to attend law school after graduation in thefall of 2005 and eventually make a career in politics. Theinternship with the Daniels campaign has been a good learningexperience, Moch said.
Moch is not alone.
"Most of the staff members at the campaign headquarters areyoung people," Daniels said. "It warms my heart that young peopleare interested in the campaign."
He has been able to reach the younger voters with his real andapproachable attitude, Daniels said.
"I want to be as authentic as possible," he said.
Daniels used a reality TV series that he has participated induring his campaign to help with his goal of reaching youngvoters.
"I believe that there was a special interest in the documentaryseries in the younger community," Daniels said.
The documentary, which aired earlier this summer, revealedeveryday life for Daniels and his staff on the campaign trail.
"It showed us getting lost, killing flies on the RV and talkingto people who didn't know who I was," Daniels said.
Another tool Daniel has used to reach a wide audience is the "MyMan Mitch" T-shirt slogan.
"When we go to concerts or other events, we can't keep themstocked," Daniels said. "They go flying out of the RV."
Those T-shirts could be flying out to Ball State students soon.As part of his tour of the 92 Indiana counties, Daniels said heplans to visit Ball State sometime this fall.
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