INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana's Democratic and Republican parties are looking to build pockets of support around the state for 2012 with a series of victories in November's mayoral races.
Municipal wins mean establishing fundraising power and volunteer armies next year as the two parties battle it out for an open governor's seat and a contested U.S. Senate seat.
"The road to the Statehouse goes through all those city halls," said John Gregg, a former Indiana House speaker and a Democratic candidate for governor. Like the Republican gubernatorial candidates, U.S. Rep. Mike Pence and Jim Wallace, Gregg has spent much of the last few months campaigning for mayoral candidates.
When Hoosiers pick their mayors Nov. 8, they will also be picking bases of operation for 2012 candidates like Gregg, Pence and Wallace and contestants in the battle for U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar's seat next year.
Fort Wayne mayoral candidate Paula Hughes has relied on the state Republican party's volunteers, voter databases and big-name politicians to help her build toward next week's election. Republicans are looking to take back Fort Wayne's mayor's office for the first time since 1999.
Hughes and state Republicans looking to next year's elections are benefiting by sharing access to the Voter Vault — the crucial list of voters the party maintains that's essential information for any candidate. Hughes has gotten access to more voters and the state party has updated its vast store of information relying on phone calls and canvassing done on Hughes' behalf.
"It's effective not just for my campaign, but for future campaigns," she said.
Fred Nation, a Democrat who's running for Terre Haute mayor, has similarly relied on his state party's voter database. The 2008 Obama campaign improved Indiana Democrats' game, he said.
"With the Obama campaign, we've moved the party to a new level of sophistication in its ability to target voters," Nation said.
Although the parties are largely focused on major population centers in Evansville, Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, every city matters for building a network of support for 2012, said Mike Murphy, a former state representative and an Indiana Republican Party strategist.
"It's fundraising strength, it's volunteer strength," he said. "And the mayors and county sheriffs, they bring bodies with them."
The crown jewel for either party remains Indianapolis — the political core of the state with the largest number of voters and donors.
The parties are working hard to sign up volunteers and raise money to support their mayoral candidates, Murphy said. And the gubernatorial candidates have made for natural ambassadors for the parties.
Pence's campaign estimated the Republican congressman has helped raise $400,000 by headlining 16 municipal fundraisers and travelling to 55 counties this year when Congress is not in session.
"We've endorsed candidates around the state," Pence said. "We've tried to do our parts to support their efforts in a variety of ways. My philosophy of leadership is that success in governance is not about one person, it's about having the right leaders at every level."
Wallace, a Fishers businessman, said last week that whoever wins the governor's office is then paid back again with strong relationships throughout the state. To that extent he's been travelling the state learning the economic strengths of different cities and seeing which industries can be attracted to which cities.
"It's about understanding our cities so our next governor can be an ambassador to the business community," Wallace said.
Beyond economic development, whoever wins that vaunted governor's seat can also become an ambassador for their party in elections after 2012. Outgoing Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, who can't run again because of term limits, recently endorsed Evansville mayoral candidate Lloyd Winnecke and is scheduled to headline a fundraiser Wednesday for Hughes in Fort Wayne.
"The governor doesn't always do these kinds of events in Fort Wayne," Hughes said. "So people are willing to write bigger checks to be a part of it. It helps bring the dollars in."
Nation has also relied on state Democrats' bench of stars to bolster his name.
Former Sen. Birch Bayh has lent his name to mailers supporting Nation, and his son, former Sen. Evan Bayh, is expected to campaign with Nation in Terre Haute this week. Nation is a former spokesman for both Bayhs.
Nation said Democrats are well aware that winning in 2012 means winning in November.
"Next year's campaign begins Nov. 8 with the election over here," he said.
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