EDITORIAL: Lots of cash will be spent in Indiana governor race

You will recall that those two squared off in the 2012 election, with Gregg making a late surge with running mate Vi Simpson but falling short of Pence and Sue Ellspermann by just under 82,000 votes of 2.549 million cast, as Liberterians Rupert Boneham and Brad Klopfenstein siphoned off almost 102,000 votes.

Gregg seemed content to retire from politics until Pence took a couple of major missteps, including surging forward with the ill-fated and unneeded Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which marred the Hoosier State’s reputation on the national and international stage.

And, now, in the first six months of this year, Gregg raised $1.76 million — much of it from labor unions — compared to Pence’s $1.63 million, according to a report by the Courier & Press’ Chelsea Schneider, a surprising shortfall for an incumbent. Pence still leads in cash-on-hand with almost $4.2 million, including funds left over from 2012, while Gregg stands at $1.84 million.

Of course, there’s still a long way to go to November 2016, including a certain (and certainly costly) Democratic primary fight for Gregg and a possible challenge on the GOP side for Pence.

Glenda Ritz, who unlike Gregg completed her uphill climb against incumbent state schools superintendent Tony Bennett to score a stunning victory, has stepped into the governor’s race and raised $30,529 in the first six months. While that number is small, it should be noted that it was grass roots support, especially from teachers, that pushed her to victory in 2012, and she is a sympathetic figure to many because of her fight with the administration over control of school policies.

A third Democrat, State Sen. Karen Tallian, raised $23,875 in six months and has $22,842 in cash.

Rest assured, a lot more cash will flow into the race. Will Ritz again be the darling of the Indiana State Teachers Association, and benefit from its PAC? Will Gregg earn the backing of state and national corporate donors who were dismayed by Pence’s support of RFRA?

Will Pence receive as much support as expected from the Republican Governors Association, which is rumored to be willing to put as much as $5 million into the race? Will his recent successes — the opening of Haier America’s technical center in Evansville with, to start, 50 high-paying jobs, and the expansion of Amazon warehouses expected to add 2,000 jobs in the state — dim the glare on RFRA and same-sex marriage opposition?

It (likely) will be almost another year before the campaigning begins in earnest, and a GOP challenger for Pence and an independent or third-party candidate could yet emerge, but be prepared for an inundation of political commercials and appearances.

Throw in the money that will be spent in the race for the U.S. Senate seat that Republican Dan Coats is abandoning, and it should be an advertiser’s dream season — if a consumer’s nightmare.