Mitch Daniels (left) met with his staff on Nov. 4,
1976, two days after Richard Lugar handily defeated Democratic Sen.
R. Vance Hartke in an avalanche of nearly 400,000 votes. Daniels,
only 27, didn't look the part of a master political strategist; but
as Lugar's campaign manager, Daniels masterminded the crushing
defeat of the powerful three-term U.S. senator. Now, 28 years
later, Daniels will take over the helm of state government Monday
after defeating Gov. Joe Kernan in the Republican's first run at
public office. An Indianapolis Star story on the young political
phenom that was published Nov. 7, 1976, described Daniels as
looking "like a college freshman worried about upcoming exams." But
no one should have underestimated Daniels, who directed a staff of
nine people whose average age was 24 and whose average salary was
about $100 a week, people who interrupted their educational and
professional plans to join the campaign because of their devotion
to Lugar, who is still serving as a senator. Daniels, who began
running political campaigns at age 19 (Lugar's first mayoral
victory), was a Princeton graduate who lived alone in a ramshackle
inner-city neighborhood. Those on his campaign staff pictured here
were (left to right) Teresa Smith, Mary Hayes, Kurt Flock, Tim
Brown, Debbie Hittle, Scott Christy, Paul Gresk and Rick Holt. Not
pictured was Keith Luse. Daniels used much the same strategy in
last year's run for governor, with many young people on his
staff. (William Oates / The Star)
Republished: January 8, 2005
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