Free Republic

For all the bluster a statewide smoking ban sparked at the beginning of the 2012 legislative session, the version Indiana lawmakers may end up approving seems little more than a wisp of smoke. The Senate approved a statewide ban Wednesday for the first time in its history, with 13 Democrats joining 16 Republicans for a 29-21 vote. But the proposal passed hardly resembles the one the House has approved six times in recent years.

The Senate voted 40-10 to constitutionally ban same-sex marriage. Three Democrats joined every Senate Republican in voting yes. Auburn Republican Dennis Kruse, who sponsored the amendment, says the 25-year-old state law banning gay marriage belongs in the constitution. "The family is the basic unit of our society, and has been since Adam and Eve (were) created," Kruse says. "Marriage is, and should be, the union of one man and one woman." Opponents contend the tide of public opinion has turned in favor of gay marriage since the amendment fight started six years ago, and that the trend is accelerating. They...

Dan Coats (R-IN) won the Indiana GOP Senate primary last night, defeating several primary challengers, including former Rep. John Hostettler (R-IN) and RedState’s golden boy State Sen. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN). Coats will now go on to face likely Democrat challenger Brad Ellsworth, who was a member of the Stupak-12 who caved at the end. Barring some unforeseen circumstance, Coats is likely to win handily and would represent a Senate pickup in the seat being vacated by Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN). Coats is a good guy. He’s a former Senator and a solid conservative with a lifetime ACU rating of 90%....

HAMMOND | Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. said Tuesday he is running for U.S. Senate and may already have backing from at least two of the party leaders whose support he will need to be named the Democratic nominee for Sen. Evan Bayh's seat. Bayh, D-Ind., announced Monday he won't run for re-election, and no Democrat met Tuesday's deadline to submit the 4,500 signatures necessary to get on the primary ballot. The 32-member Democratic State Central Committee will meet sometime before June 30 to pick a nominee to run against the Republican primary winner in the fall. Three of those committee...