NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: April 29, 2008
FORMER DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR WAYNE TOWNSEND ENDORSES LONG THOMPSON
Townsend: Jill has the best chance to defeat Mitch Daniels
ARGOS, Ind. - Former Indiana State Senator and 1984 Democratic gubernatorial nominee Wayne Townsend (D-Hartford City) today announced that he is backing Jill Long Thompson to be the next Governor of Indiana.
Townsend cited Long Thompson's extensive experience and proven leadership as reasons for his endorsement, adding that he believes Long Thompson is best equipped to address key issues facing Indiana such as tax reform, job creation, and education.
"Jill Long Thompson has exactly what Indiana needs to get back on track," said Townsend. "It is rare that a leader like Jill comes along with her experience and command of issues in addition to knowing first-hand the day-to-day struggles of ordinary Hoosiers. Jill will make an excellent governor."
Townsend said, "Jill has the best chance to defeat Governor Daniels because her broad experience and impressive record in Congress and as Under Secretary of Agriculture give her credibility with the voters that she can do the job better." Townsend added that Daniels continues to be vulnerable because the state is in much worse shape that it was when he took over. "Under the incumbent governor, Indiana has lost thousands of good-paying jobs, our public schools have largely been ignored and taxes are skyrocketing. Clearly Jill is the best candidate to help get Indiana back on track."
"The impact of the Daniels privatization policies especially concerns me. We cannot continue to relinquish control of public property and place that control in private hands for benefit of private concerns," added Townsend. "We also need to build avenues to strengthen public education instead of creating barriers which hamper educators from doing their job as the Daniels administration has done."
Long Thompson said, "I am deeply honored by Wayne Townsend's support of my candidacy for governor. There are few people in public life for whom I have more respect than Wayne Townsend. He has long been a champion of Hoosier working families."
Raised on a farm, Wayne Townsend started his own farming operation after earning a degree in agriculture from Purdue University. What began as a 225-acre venture is now a 2,500-acre farm. He was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 1958 at the age of 32, where he served with his close college friend Birch Bayh, who became Speaker. Townsend went on to serve 16 years in the Indiana State Senate. He was the Democratic nominee for governor in 1984, and made history by naming the first woman Lieutenant Governor nominee in Indiana. Townsend served as Trustee for Earlham College for 8 years and for Purdue University for 15 years.
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