3/12/26 - Morales Waste More Money, Trump eyeing Reserves, Guests Greg Ballard & Politico's Adam Wren

On today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show, Rob breaks down several major stories shaping Indiana politics and beyond. Rob opens with a sharp look at a report involving Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales and taxpayer-funded vehicle history reports, questioning government spending, accountability, and what he calls “legalized vote buying.” He also takes aim at the broader issue of politicians using public resources for self-promotion, including criticism of congressional franked mail and how taxpayer dollars are used to influence public perception. Later, Rob discusses President Trump’s decision to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the likely impact on gas prices, and the broader economic fallout tied to tensions with Iran. He compares the current move to past reserve releases and explains why the immediate effect at the pump may be limited. The show also features senior national political correspondent Adam Wren of Politico, who joins Rob to discuss the Indiana State Senate primary battles tied to redistricting, the role of Trump-backed challengers, fundraising, MAGA influence in Indiana, and what all of it could mean for the future of the Republican Party in the state. Wren also weighs in on Democrat Beau Baird/Bayh’s positioning and the larger branding problems facing Democrats. In addition, Rob examines the debate over Indiana’s voter ID law and the legal fight over whether college students should be allowed to use college IDs at the polls, asking whether the law is about election integrity or targeted political advantage. The episode also touches on fallout involving teachers accused of making inappropriate comments after the assassination of Charlie Kirk and how state oversight may or may not go beyond local school discipline. Also in this episode: - Greg Ballard’s independent run for Indiana Secretary of State and the challenge of collecting 37,000 signatures - Why Republicans are reacting so strongly to Ballard’s campaign - What Ballard says about his time as mayor of Indianapolis - Viewer comments, show updates, and ways to support the program Subscribe for daily coverage of Indiana politics, government accountability, elections, and interviews you won’t hear anywhere else. The Rob Kendall Show streams live every weekday from 10am-noon. If you'd like to join the live online chat with other channel subscribers, you must be a subscriber (new subscribers must wait five-minutes after subscribing to comment). You can find more information at RobKendallShow.com Theme music: Dean Cline Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices