The Rob Kendall Show

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob previewing a discussion of Jamey Noel, the former Clark County sheriff and Republican power broker now in prison. Rob points to a new WHAS11 documentary, Tarnished Badge: The Jamey Noel Story, as a detailed look at Noel’s abuse of power, political influence, and taxpayer-funded corruption. He says the biggest question is how someone so publicly connected to Indiana’s political elite could live so far beyond his means for so long without people around him asking obvious questions. Rob says the Noel story fits a broader pattern of powerful Indiana officials acting brazenly because they do not fear accountability. He compares the situation to Diego Morales, noting that the issue is not that the circumstances are identical, but that both involve obvious behavior that people in power ignored or enabled. Rob argues the political system protects insiders until the evidence becomes impossible to avoid. The discussion also turns to the power of Indiana sheriffs and the lack of oversight around them. Rob says the Noel case, along with cases involving sheriffs like Tom Kleinhelter, shows the state needs serious reform in how sheriffs are monitored and held accountable. He argues both parties tolerate corruption when it benefits their own power structures, pointing to Republicans in state government and Democrats in Indianapolis as examples of officials avoiding accountability. Rob also highlights Greg Ballard preparing to turn in more than 41,000 verified signatures for his independent Secretary of State campaign. Rob says the achievement is one of the most significant political moments in Indiana history because it could open ballot access for the Lincoln Party and give more people a path outside the Republican-Democrat system. He argues Republicans were arrogantly wrong when they dismissed Ballard’s chances of making the ballot, and that their reaction shows how much they want to control who can participate. Another segment focuses on Indianapolis City-County Council President Maggie Lewis proposing a pause on new data center development in the city. Rob says the move is a major step because it creates time to study utility capacity, infrastructure demands, environmental concerns, economic outcomes, and neighborhood impact before more projects move forward. He says he is not anti-data center, but argues Indiana needs statewide guardrails because these projects affect power, water, taxes, and communities far beyond the city or town where they are built. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob reacting to Jacob Stewart’s IndyStar column arguing that it is too easy to form a political party in Indiana. Rob strongly disagrees, saying Greg Ballard’s independent Secretary of State campaign proves the opposite because Ballard needed money, organization, volunteers, and a major signature operation just to get on the ballot. He argues Indiana’s ballot access laws are designed to protect Republicans and Democrats while shutting out independent-minded voters and candidates. Rob says Ballard “cracked the code” by raising enough money and building enough infrastructure to get the signatures needed for ballot access. He explains that if Ballard’s Lincoln Party gets 2% in the Secretary of State race, it can nominate candidates for future general elections, but 10% is the real prize because it would earn primary ballot access. Rob says that would create a major shift in Indiana politics by giving more voters and candidates a way around the two-party system. The discussion also looks at how Rob is weighing the Secretary of State race. He says the most important goal is making sure Republicans lose the office so Diego Morales’ conduct does not get swept under the rug. Rob says he could see himself voting for Ballard if Ballard has a real chance to reach 10%, but could also vote for Beau Bayh if Bayh becomes the clearest path to taking the office away from Republicans. Another segment focuses on WRTV’s reporting on former Department of Child Services director Adam Krupp, who left that role and then reappeared as a special adviser to Governor Mike Braun at the same $210,000 salary. Rob says the job appears vague, was not publicly posted, and allows Krupp to work fully remote despite Braun’s return-to-work push for state employees. He argues the duties described so far sound like basic research, meetings, and clerical work that do not justify that salary. Rob says the Krupp situation undercuts Braun’s image as a government reformer. He argues the state keeps claiming it lacks money for vulnerable Hoosiers, including families caring for severely disabled loved ones, while still finding large salaries for politically connected insiders. Rob praises Kara Kenney’s reporting and says taxpayers deserve to know why Krupp disappeared, what he is actually doing now, and why that position should exist at all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob arguing that Indiana’s gas tax suspension proves Hoosiers have been overtaxed for years. He says the state is now giving back money it never needed to take in the first place, with the suspension saving drivers about 61 cents per gallon. Rob argues government officials frame this as a loss for the state, but it is really taxpayers getting some of their own money back. Rob says the state is expected to give up more than half a billion dollars in gas tax revenue through October while still absorbing the cost and reimbursing local governments. To him, that proves Indiana’s government has far more money than it needs for basic operations. He argues the “surplus” is really overtaxation, and that Republicans are only suspending the tax now because high gas prices under Trump and renewed conflict with Iran are politically damaging. The discussion also criticizes Republican leaders for claiming they need yet another long-term road funding solution. Rob points out that many of the same officials supported the 2017 gas tax increase, which was sold as the long-term fix, and then passed another road funding bill last year. He says the problem is not a lack of revenue, but the government’s failure to manage and allocate the money it already takes from taxpayers. Another segment focuses on the Thomas Carl Cook scandal and the continued failure of Indianapolis officials to reform how workplace misconduct complaints are handled. Rob says Cook, a powerful figure in Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration and campaign operation, was accused of inappropriate relationships involving people connected to his power structure. Even after outside investigators recommended complaints be handled outside the mayor’s control, the City-County Council still has not created an independent process. Rob argues Hogsett’s stated concern about protecting victims’ privacy is an excuse to keep control over sensitive complaints. He says public records experts and existing executive-session rules show there are ways to protect complainants while still creating an independent review system. Rob says the lack of action reflects a broader problem in Indianapolis politics: Republicans are ineffective, most Democrats are afraid to challenge Hogsett, and only a few voices like Jesse Brown are willing to confront the power structure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an interview conducted weeks ago, Governor Mike Braun indicated his primary reason for calling a special session and attempting to ram redistricting through the General Assembly was fear of retribution from the White House. The comments appeared to match Braun's original warning from last winter which he later recanted. In light of the governor's newest commentary, many are once again asking what projects or funding was the governor worried about losing? Rob Kendall, Abdul-Hakim Shabazz, and Jim Merritt examine on this week's Statehouse Happenings. You can find more information at RobKendallShow.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob covering the Indianapolis City-County Council’s vote to approve major wheel tax increases for Marion County residents. Rob says the council passed the hikes 14 to 10 in order to raise local road money and unlock a state match, but argues the city could have found the money through budget cuts instead. He says the shifting explanations from council members show taxpayers were not dealing with honest brokers. Rob explains that the state created a matching fund for Indianapolis road work because Marion County remains an economic hub and carries traffic from people who do not live there. But he argues the city should have been required to use existing revenue rather than new taxes, especially because roads are one of the core responsibilities of city government. He says the proposed increase would take the average vehicle fee from around $20 to $100, with some larger vehicles facing much higher costs. The discussion also puts blame on both parties. Rob says Democrats on the council voted to raise taxes, but Republicans at the Statehouse created the structure that allowed them to do it. He argues Republican lawmakers could have required Indianapolis to use existing funds for the match, but instead handed local Democrats the ability to raise taxes and then act surprised when they used it. Another segment focuses on the IndyStar’s reporting about the sale of Jim Irsay’s memorabilia collection, which brought in more than $105 million. Rob says he does not begrudge wealth, inheritance, or people spending money on hobbies, but argues the Irsay family’s wealth is different because so much of it was enhanced by taxpayer-funded stadium deals. He says Lucas Oil Stadium and its related tax increases helped make the Colts more valuable while regular people were forced to pay. Rob says the Irsay collection shows why billionaires should not be subsidized by poor and middle-class taxpayers. He points to the guitars, historic artifacts, and other memorabilia as proof the family had enormous private wealth while still benefiting from public money. Rob argues every tax dollar represents someone’s time, freedom, and labor, and that money should not be taken from regular people to make sports franchise owners even richer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob criticizing House Bill 1288, J.D. Prescott’s proposal to eliminate Indiana property taxes and replace them with a 7% sales tax on services. Rob says the bill would technically erase property taxes, but would replace the roughly $11.6 billion currently collected with as much as $15.4 billion in new revenue. He argues that means regular people would face a major tax increase while politicians still get to claim they “eliminated property taxes.” Rob says the biggest winners under the plan would be wealthy property owners, large corporations, and data centers, because their property tax obligations would disappear. Regular homeowners would save on their property tax bills, but then pay more for services like haircuts, car repairs, landscaping, legal work, and accounting. Renters could be hit especially hard because landlords would have no guarantee or requirement to pass property tax savings back through lower rent. The discussion also lays out Rob’s three requirements for any serious property tax reform. He says state leaders must first admit local governments are out of control, stop taxing people based on what someone else sold a house for, and eliminate the ability of local governments to bypass tax caps through referendums. Rob argues Prescott’s bill fails because it does not restrain local spending, does not fix the assessment system, and creates more money for government instead of forcing reform. Another segment focuses on State Senator Mike Young, who criticized Rob online after a listener posted a photo of an old golf plaque with Rob’s name on it. Rob says the exchange matters because it shows how thin-skinned and entitled long-serving politicians become when they are challenged. He argues Young’s reaction had nothing to do with golf and everything to do with anger that Rob has repeatedly said Young has served too long, accomplished too little, and should leave office after decades in the General Assembly. Rob uses the Mike Young exchange to argue that many career politicians see taxpayers as an endless ATM and resent anyone who calls attention to how they govern. He says Young and others complain about anger while ignoring the frustration caused by high taxes, crony capitalism, corruption, and a government that keeps taking more from regular people. Rob says the reason his show resonates is because he says out loud what many taxpayers already believe about the people who run the state. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob breaking down a Capital Chronicle report on how Governor Mike Braun funds much of his office staff through other state agencies. Rob says the practice may be legal and has been used by past governors, but argues Braun is using it to make his office look lean while shifting costs elsewhere. He points to the report showing that more than half of payroll for identified governor’s office employees is funded by other agencies. Rob highlights examples including Braun’s spokesman being paid through the Family and Social Services Administration, staff tied to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles making more than actual BMV communications staff, and an INDOT-funded senior policy adviser earning more than the INDOT commissioner. He says the most troubling example is the Public Access Counselor’s budget being used to pay a deputy general counsel for the governor while that office has only a few employees and limited ability to issue transparency opinions. The discussion frames the issue as a broader example of how difficult it is for regular people to understand where taxpayer money is really going. Rob says Indiana is more transparent than many states, but argues the system is still too complicated for normal citizens to track without investigative reporting. He says it is especially revealing that agencies constantly claiming they need more money or tax increases still have money flowing out to support the governor’s office. Another segment focuses on Abdul Hakim-Shabazz’s reporting that the Mid-States Corridor may be coming back through a workaround. Rob explains the proposed road would connect I-64 and I-69 in southern Indiana, despite major opposition from residents and concerns about billions in taxpayer costs. He says lawmakers previously placed guardrails around the project, but Abdul is now reporting that private backers may try to raise enough money to avoid triggering Budget Committee review. Rob says if private money is routed through INDOT to condemn Hoosier farmland, the project could potentially move forward without the General Assembly taking a direct vote. He argues that would be an extraordinary way to revive a road many locals do not want, especially when the governor and his family have been publicly tied to potential business benefits from the corridor. Rob says the reporting is not confirmed, but based on how the state has handled the project so far, the possibility does not surprise him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission is headed for more drama as Commissioner David Veleta has announced his upcoming resignation. Veleta is calling it quits on the heels of a controversial decision by Veleta and Braun appointed Commissioner Andy Zay to approve a massive rate increase for AES. The vote sparked a massive rebuke from the governor and resulted in him removing Zay as Chairman. On this week's Statehouse Happenings, Jim Merritt, who is a part of a nominating committee which will present Governor Braun with options to replace Veleta, joins Rob Kendall to discuss the process, and the latest IURC controversy. You can find more information at RobKendallShow.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob focusing on another upcoming vacancy at the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission after David Valetta announced he is stepping down. Rob says Governor Mike Braun will get another chance to remake the board after his previous appointees helped approve a $70-million-plus AES rate increase. Rob argues utility rate increases are effectively tax increases because customers have no real ability to shop around or choose another provider. Rob says Hoosiers are increasingly angry because utility bills keep rising while data centers and major corporations appear to be driving more demand for electricity. He argues regular people are being forced to subsidize huge companies through higher rates while the utilities still benefit from government-protected monopolies. Rob also points to rising profits among Indiana’s major for-profit utilities as evidence that the system is not truly serving ratepayers. The discussion also turns to Braun’s claim that affordability is his top priority as he looks for a new IURC commissioner. Rob says that message is disingenuous unless Braun demands appointees publicly pledge not to approve rate hikes. He argues the real fix would require the General Assembly to change the laws that guide the IURC, because current statutes give utilities legal avenues to challenge the commission if rate requests are rejected. Another segment focuses on NPR briefly publishing and then retracting a report that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was retiring. Rob says the mistake shows how media outlets operate behind the scenes, with major stories written, queued, and ready to publish before they are confirmed. He argues the incident reinforces why taxpayers should not be forced to fund public broadcasting, especially when NPR had to retract a major Supreme Court story after the Court said it was inaccurate. Rob also comments on pressure from some Republicans for Alito and Clarence Thomas to retire while Donald Trump is in position to replace them. He says that would be foolish because Alito and Thomas remain among the strongest conservative justices on the Court, and there is no guarantee Trump’s replacements would be better. Rob points to mixed results from Trump’s previous Supreme Court nominees and argues conservatives should not rush out their best justices just because they are older. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob reacting to Governor Mike Braun’s latest comments on whether he will extend Indiana’s gas tax suspension. Rob argues the entire debate proves his long-running point that Indiana is overtaxing people, because if the state can suspend the gas tax while still funding road projects through surplus money, then the tax was not truly necessary in the first place. He says “surplus” is just another word for overtaxation when government collects more than it needs to operate. Rob says Braun should not base the gas tax decision on the current price of fuel, the Middle East, or political concerns about Trump and Republicans. His argument is simpler: either the tax is needed or it is not. Rob says the state has spent years warning that roads would suffer without automatic gas tax increases, but Braun’s suspension has shown projects can continue without that money because the state already has too much taxpayer cash. The discussion also ties gas prices to the conflict with Iran and instability around the Strait of Hormuz. Rob says the tax suspension is masking the effect of higher fuel prices rather than giving Hoosiers the real benefit they should be seeing. He argues that if Indiana permanently eliminated unnecessary gas taxes during a normal price environment, drivers could see meaningful savings instead of merely being shielded from the cost of bad foreign policy decisions. Another segment focuses on Attorney General Todd Rokita threatening to sue Merrillville over its opposition to a potential ICE detention facility in local warehouses. Rob says he strongly supports immigration enforcement and deportation efforts, but believes local officials still have a legitimate duty to ask how a major detention operation would affect water, sewer, police, fire, emergency services, roads, land use, and taxpayers. He argues that raising those questions is not automatically the same thing as obstructing ICE. Rob says Rokita may have a case if Merrillville officials are actually blocking federal enforcement or retaliating against property owners, but based on what has been presented, the town appears to be expressing opposition and asking for protections before any facility moves forward. He compares it to other major land-use fights, arguing that local officials should not simply roll over for the federal government when their community may bear the costs. Rob says the key question is whether Merrillville has truly violated the law or whether Rokita is grabbing a headline before anything concrete has happened. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob previewing Greg Ballard’s next step in the Secretary of State race, as Ballard’s campaign prepares to turn in signatures for independent ballot access. Rob says Nathan Gotch, the campaign’s leader, will reveal the final number and explain how the campaign pulled it off without a party machine. Rob argues every Hoosier should want more people to have access to the ballot, whether they ultimately vote for Ballard or not. Rob says the Secretary of State race will test whether frustrated Republicans are actually willing to leave the party when viable alternatives exist. He argues voters will have Beau Bayh as a mainstream Democrat, Greg Ballard as a serious independent with name ID and infrastructure, and a Libertarian option, meaning Republican voters can no longer claim they had no other choice. Rob says anyone who votes Republican this fall is effectively accepting the party’s record and should stop complaining about how Republicans treat taxpayers. The show also reflects on Rob’s interview with Indianapolis City-County Councilor Jesse Brown. Rob says Brown is one of the few Democrats willing to challenge corruption, oppose data centers, and criticize the system that produced Indianapolis’ fiscal problems. At the same time, Rob questions whether people like Brown can separate legitimate criticism of crony capitalism from democratic socialism, which Rob argues ultimately leads to absolutism and less free thought. Another major topic is Michael Hicks’ column on data centers and Indiana’s tax system. Rob says data centers consume major amounts of power, water, and land while receiving large tax advantages, including abatements, sales tax exemptions, and favorable treatment on business personal property. He argues the state keeps giving away the farm to companies that create few long-term jobs and do not clearly produce enough value for the communities they enter. The discussion also turns to a Capital Chronicle analysis of property taxes and the growing burden on homeowners. Rob says residential property now makes up more than three quarters of Indiana’s assessed value, while businesses continue receiving deductions, depreciation benefits, abatements, and incentives. He argues the system is rigged toward large corporations and against homeowners, and says local governments should have to explain where all the money went after years of rising assessments and pandemic-era revenue growth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob returning to the Chicago Bears stadium drama and saying Governor Mike Braun has finally admitted there is no signed deal bringing the team to Hammond. Rob argues Indiana officials have spent weeks misleading the public by acting like the move was inevitable, even though the Bears have only said they are advancing their pursuit of the Wolf Lake site. He says there is still no agreement, no commitment, and no proof the Bears are actually leaving Illinois. Rob says Indiana is being used as leverage while the Bears try to get a better stadium deal from Illinois. He points to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker telling the Bears to combine pieces of competing stadium bills and bring lawmakers a deal they can pass. Rob argues that if the Bears truly wanted the Indiana offer, they could have taken it months ago, but instead they keep giving Illinois more time. The discussion also focuses on the tax increases tied to the proposed Bears deal. Rob says Braun’s comments about Hoosiers accepting new taxes for “the greater good” should alarm anyone who thought Indiana Republicans were opposed to tax hikes. He argues both Republicans and Democrats have shown they are willing to move quickly for a billionaire sports franchise while asking taxpayers to carry the financial risk. The show also turns to two Supreme Court immigration rulings that sided with the Trump administration. Rob explains that one ruling allows the administration to end Temporary Protected Status protections for certain groups, including Haitians and Syrians, while the other allows border officials to stop migrants before they cross into the country and make asylum claims. Rob says both rulings are common sense and will matter in Indiana because immigration issues are affecting communities here as well. Rob also criticizes the Democratic-appointed justices for their dissents, especially Justice Sonia Sotomayor reading from the bench. He argues the rulings show why many voters still hesitate to support Democrats, even when they are frustrated with Republicans, because Democrats continue taking positions on immigration that seem disconnected from common sense border enforcement. Rob says Trump deserves credit on immigration, especially for prioritizing both deportations and preventing questionable asylum claims before they enter the legal system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Republican power structure completed its quest to rid themselves of Diego Morales. The incumbent Secretary of State was easily dispatched at the convention in Fort Wayne. Now the GOP turns to unvetted Max Engling to hold the office. A task that could get more difficult as Greg Ballard has eclipsed 64,000 signatures. On Statehouse Happenings, Rob Kendall, Jim Merritt, and Abdul-Hakim Shabazz discuss a wild week in the Secretary of State's race.You can find more information at RobKendallShow.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob examining the fight in Greenwood over a proposed Buc-ee’s travel center. Rob says the opposition is more thoughtful than a simple “not in my backyard” reaction, because residents acknowledge growth is coming but question whether a 74,000-square-foot travel center, hundreds of fuel and charging stations, and the extra development it could bring are right for their community. He argues their concerns about traffic, land use, and long-term character deserve to be taken seriously. Rob says the Buc-ee’s story matters beyond Greenwood because it shows why more residents need to organize against bad or poorly planned development. He argues too many communities get dazzled by big-name projects without asking who actually benefits, what costs residents will bear, and how the project will affect the area years later. Rob says he hopes the Greenwood opposition inspires people in other towns to push back on school referendums, data centers, and other local government decisions. The show also previews a conversation with Bill Moreau, publisher of The Indiana Citizen and former chief of staff to Evan Bayh. Rob says Moreau’s perspective is useful for understanding how Indiana Democrats went from sharing power in the state to being almost completely shut out. He also highlights The Indiana Citizen’s focus on school board races, especially now that candidates can identify by party affiliation again. Another major topic is the Indiana Republican Party adding closed primaries to its platform. Rob argues Republicans want to make it harder for people to vote in their primaries while still forcing every taxpayer to fund those elections. He says if parties want private elections where they control who participates, they should pay for and run them themselves instead of using public money, public workers, and public election systems. The discussion also turns to Lebanon’s proposed police station referendum and the broader collapse of Indiana’s property tax system. Rob says taxpayers already pay enough to expect basic services like police, fire, roads, bridges, water, and sewer without being asked for another tax hike. Rob argues local governments face no real penalty for putting referendums on the ballot, so they keep using police, schools, roads, or children as shields to demand more money instead of learning to operate within existing tax limits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show focuses on the Republican Party’s attempt to move past Diego Morales without fully holding him accountable. Rob previews a heated conversation with State Treasurer Daniel Elliott, arguing that many Republicans did nothing about Morales for years, then only turned on him once they believed he could lose the Secretary of State race. Rob says the issue is not just replacing Morales, but exposing what happened and holding people accountable. Rob also reacts to conservative media figures questioning why Greg Ballard is still running now that Morales is no longer the Republican nominee. He argues Ballard’s campaign was never only about Morales, but about a broken political system that enabled him. Rob says Ballard collecting tens of thousands of signatures without a party machine proves there is real demand for more competition and more voices outside the Republican-Democrat structure. The show also turns to the Indiana Republican Party adding property tax elimination to its platform. Rob says that sounds good on paper, but warns that J.D. Prescott’s proposal would replace property taxes with a new 7% sales tax on services, potentially raising the overall tax burden on Hoosiers. Rob argues true property tax reform should force local governments to spend less, not simply move the tax burden somewhere else while giving government even more money. Another major topic is the Chicago Bears stadium drama. Rob says he has believed all along that the Bears are using Indiana and its politicians to get a better deal from Illinois. He points to Illinois leaders now signaling they may call a special session if the Bears help put together a workable stadium bill, while Indiana politicians continue acting as though Hammond is a done deal. The episode closes with Rob arguing that the Bears situation reveals how quickly Indiana politicians move for powerful interests compared to ordinary taxpayers. He says whether or not the Bears ever come to Indiana, Hoosiers should remember how much energy, money, and urgency lawmakers were willing to spend on a billionaire sports franchise while moving slowly on property taxes, utility bills, and other everyday problems. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show focuses on Greg Ballard’s independent campaign for Indiana Secretary of State and Rob’s belief that Ballard should not be underestimated. Rob says Republicans spent years treating Ballard as the gold standard when he was mayor of Indianapolis, only to turn on him once he launched an independent statewide run. He argues Ballard’s likely success in collecting nearly 37,000 verified signatures would be a major political achievement because Indiana’s ballot access rules are designed to protect Republicans and Democrats from serious independent challengers. Rob says Ballard could reshape the Secretary of State race even if he does not win. He argues Ballard will likely pull voters from Republicans, independents, and even Beau Bayh’s Marion County base, making the race more competitive and forcing the major-party candidates to work harder. Rob says Ballard’s presence would make the election more serious because candidates would no longer be able to coast through a weak, predictable Republican-versus-Democrat contest. The show also covers Governor Braun removing Andy Zay as chairman of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission after Zay voted for an AES rate increase. Rob says the move is mostly symbolic because Zay remains on the board and only loses part of his salary. He argues Braun owns the problem because he appointed Zay in the first place, despite Zay being an insider and former state senator who helped create the same utility system Braun now claims to oppose. Rob says Braun’s outrage over utility rates rings hollow because he never required his IURC picks to pledge against rate increases and previously signed legislation allowing utilities to recover costs for small modular reactor development. He argues Indiana’s utility system is bought and sold by powerful companies, and that Braun keeps responding to public anger with gestures that look tough but do not actually change the structure causing higher bills. Another major topic is Buc-ee’s proposing its first Indiana location in Greenwood near I-65 and Worthville Road. Rob says the local pushback is more reasonable than it may sound because residents are not simply rejecting development; they are questioning whether a massive travel stop serves the community or mostly benefits transient traffic. He says Greenwood residents are right to ask about traffic, rezoning, local businesses, tax impact, and whether a big-name project actually improves life for the people who live there. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show focuses on the fallout from the Republican Secretary of State convention, where Max Engling won the nomination after two rounds of voting. Rob says he correctly predicted Engling would lead on the first ballot, but was surprised by how quickly Diego Morales collapsed, finishing far behind Engling and David Shelton. He argues the result shows how quickly the Republican power structure can flip when new orders come down, even after years of defending Morales. Rob criticizes the delegate process itself, noting that more than 125 delegates did not show up for the first ballot and dozens more left before the second. He says delegates ran or were appointed for the job of choosing nominees, yet many did not stay long enough to finish the voting. Rob also blasts the party’s slow administration of the convention, arguing that taking hours to complete two rounds of voting shows the Republicans are not as competent at running elections as they claim. The show also revisits Rob’s incorrect prediction that Diego supporters would refuse to back Engling. Instead, many of them moved to Engling on the second ballot, helping him win. Rob says that undercuts all the talk from Morales supporters about standing up to party bosses, because when the moment came, they still bent the knee to the same power structure they claimed had betrayed their candidate. Rob then turns to the general election, where voters will have four choices: Max Engling, Beau Bayh, Lori Shilling, and Greg Ballard. Rob says he has not decided who he will vote for, but he is ruling out Engling because a vote for him would affirm the Republican cover-up of Diego Morales’ corruption. He argues Engling was selected not to expose Morales, but to sweep the scandal away while keeping the office and protecting the party’s donor network. The episode closes with Rob saying Engling can prove him wrong by publicly calling for formal investigations into Morales by the inspector general and Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears. Rob says if Engling, Jim Banks, and Todd Rokita are serious about cleaning up the office, they should demand accountability immediately while Morales is still Secretary of State. Until that happens, Rob argues voters should see Engling as part of the same system that enabled Morales for four years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show focuses on another damaging report about Diego Morales, this time involving travel expenses tied to his wife, his chief legal counsel Jerry Bonnet, and taxpayer reimbursements. Rob says the setup itself is a major red flag: Bonnet allegedly fronted money for trips involving Morales and was later reimbursed by the state, even though some expenses were later flagged as improper. Rob argues that if these were legitimate state trips, the state or Morales himself should have handled the payments directly. Rob walks through the IndyStar report that Bonnet repaid more than $5,000 after expenses were flagged, including flights and conference fees involving Morales’ wife, hearing aids for Bonnet, and fees for non-employees. Rob says there is no reason taxpayers should be covering the travel of a spouse who is not a state employee, especially when the Secretary of State’s office tried to justify it by claiming spouses were expected to help at national conferences. Rob notes that the national organization reportedly said spouses and staff were encouraged to attend, but not required to perform conference duties. The show also digs into travel by former Morales staffer Elena Copsey, including Uber reimbursements tied to visits to conservative organizations and foreign embassies. Rob questions why the Indiana Secretary of State’s office would have a noncitizen employee visiting embassies for Italy, Latvia, and Hungary, and ties the broader pattern back to the long-running questions around Morales’ India trip, Raju Chinthala, taxpayer contracts, visa access, and foreign connections. He argues this is no longer ordinary political sloppiness, but a pattern that demands formal investigation. Another major segment covers Greg Ballard’s independent petition drive for Secretary of State after Hamilton County officials flagged one page of apparently fraudulent signatures. Rob says the person responsible should be prosecuted if the signatures were forged, but argues the incident appears to involve one rogue volunteer out of more than 35,000 submitted signatures. He says Republicans are trying to use a tiny fraction of the petitions to smear Ballard because they see him as a serious threat. The episode closes with Rob arguing the larger issue is Indiana’s ballot access system. He says Ballard’s effort shows how difficult Republicans and Democrats have made it for independents or regular people to run for office unless they operate under one of the two major parties. Rob says if Hoosiers pay to fund elections, they should have a real path to participate in them without needing hundreds of thousands of dollars, a professional signature operation, or the blessing of a party machine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approving a $71 million rate increase for AES Indiana customers. Rob says Governor Braun owns the decision because he appointed three members of the five-member board, including IURC president Andy Zay, who voted for the increase. Rob argues Braun campaigned on affordability but then put an institutional insider in charge of utility regulation. Rob says Braun does not get to complain about the rate hike after appointing the people who approved it. He argues the governor could have asked every appointee whether they would support rate increases, and if he did not, that is on him. Rob also says the utility companies already operate as government-protected monopolies, so approving higher rates while profits are strong is another example of regular people paying more because of state-backed insiders. The show also ties the AES increase to the broader issue of data centers and rising electricity demand. Rob argues lawmakers helped create the problem by funding the IEDC’s incentives for data centers, then allowing utilities to pass the costs on to ratepayers. He says he is not anti-data center, but opposes poor and middle-class Hoosiers being forced to subsidize major corporations through higher taxes, higher bills, and state-backed giveaways. Another major segment breaks down Rob’s interviews with pledged Republican delegates in the Secretary of State race. After talking with supporters of Diego Morales, Max Engling, Jamie Ritenour, and David Shelton, Rob says the clear theme is that Shelton appears to be many delegates’ second choice. He argues that matters because no candidate is likely to win on the first ballot, so the race will depend on where supporters go after their preferred candidate drops out. The episode closes with Rob laying out the possible convention math. He says Max Engling may lead on the first ballot, but if he does not build a large enough lead, Shelton could become the compromise candidate as other camps look for an acceptable alternative. Rob says the big questions are whether Shelton stays viable early, whether Diego Morales finishes ahead of him, and whether delegates stick around through later rounds of voting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Indiana Republican Convention is Saturday in Fort Wayne. The race to be the party's Secretary of State nominee is getting nasty. Attack ads are coming at the candidates from all directions. Who will prove victorious in what promises to be a wild day? Rob Kendall, Jim Merritt, and Abdul-Hakim Shabazz discuss on Statehouse Happenings. You can find more information at RobKendallShow.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Brownsburg schools avoiding a referendum while more than 100 school referendums are expected across Indiana this fall. Rob argues that referendums should not be necessary if tax caps are real, and says Brownsburg proved schools can avoid raising taxes through hard work, cuts, creativity, and cooperation with other local government entities. He contrasts that with other districts that are putting tax hikes on the ballot rather than doing the harder work of budgeting. Rob says Brownsburg’s example matters because it is statistically one of the top school systems in Indiana and still found a way to avoid asking taxpayers for more money. He argues school administrators and boards often use referendums because they are lazy or uncreative, not because there is truly no other option. Rob also says Governor Braun and Micah Beckwith should be held to their past claim that they would help defeat referendums created by Senate Bill 1. The show also covers the Indianapolis City-County Council advancing major vehicle tax increases to qualify for state road funding. Rob explains that the state offered Indianapolis $50 million in road money if the city brought matching funds, but says the city did not have to raise taxes to do it. He argues Democrats initially framed the deal as if the state forced a tax hike, but after Republicans clarified the money could come from cuts, the council moved forward with tax increases anyway. Another major topic is Governor Braun creating another high-paid advisory role, this time for outgoing Commerce Secretary David Adams to oversee Braun’s $1 billion life sciences initiative. Rob compares it to the Adam Krupp situation and says Braun keeps moving people into vague “advisor” jobs without clear public accountability. He also criticizes the decision to give Adams a $75,000 performance bonus shortly before he leaves the commerce role. The episode closes with Rob blasting the IEDC and the broader Republican economic development system. He says the same organization Braun once treated as troubled enough to audit is still handing out money, bonuses, and powerful jobs to connected people. Rob argues the IEDC remains a symbol of how Indiana Republicans talk about reform while continuing the same insider-driven system of corporate giveaways, land acquisition, and taxpayer-funded economic development deals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show focuses on Greg Ballard’s effort to get on the ballot as an independent candidate for Indiana Secretary of State. Rob explains that Ballard needs 36,943 verified signatures by the end of June, and Abdul reported he had turned in just over 35,000 so far. Rob walks through how county officials verify signatures before they go to the state, and says Ballard likely needs to submit well above the minimum to survive challenges. Rob says Ballard is what makes the Secretary of State race truly interesting because he gives voters an option outside the normal Republican-versus-Democrat fight. If Ballard makes the ballot and reaches 10% of the vote, his party could gain primary ballot access for the next four years, creating a real third-party threat in Indiana. Rob argues that could especially disrupt Republicans by giving disaffected conservatives and independents somewhere else to go. The show also criticizes Indiana’s ballot access system as deliberately stacked against regular people. Rob says requiring nearly 37,000 verified signatures, or forcing candidates into expensive party convention systems, keeps normal Hoosiers from running unless they have major money or kiss the ring of one of the two major parties. He argues that Ballard’s struggle shows how hard Republicans and Democrats have made it for independents to participate. Another major segment covers Dubois County Sheriff Tom Kleinhelter giving up his law enforcement certification while remaining sheriff. Rob explains the background: a State Board of Accounts audit flagged questionable commissary fund spending, State Police built a probable cause affidavit, but charges tied to the underlying spending were never filed after Mike Braun became governor. Rob says the case looked like it was being swept under the rug until former State Police Superintendent Doug Carter discussed it publicly and Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears later filed charges over Kleinhelter allegedly lying to investigators. The episode closes with Rob arguing the Kleinhelter case shows two tiers of justice in Indiana: one for regular people and one for the politically connected. He says Kleinhelter may keep the elected title of sheriff, but losing law enforcement certification is still a major embarrassment and proves the state needs to reform how sheriff misconduct and commissary funds are handled. Rob also criticizes the lack of transparency around why the original case was not prosecuted and why the investigator who worked on it was punished. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show focuses on a chaotic new moment in the Indiana Secretary of State race, starting with Diego Morales’ meltdown at a Fifth Congressional District event. Rob plays audio of Morales grabbing the microphone after the other candidates had spoken and angrily responding to criticism, including once again bringing up the India trip even though Rob says no one had mentioned it. Rob argues the clip shows Morales is rattled, unhinged, and still unable to clearly answer who paid for his trip to India. Rob revisits the India controversy, reminding listeners that Morales went overseas on what was presented as an economic development trip despite the Secretary of State having no economic development authority. He also highlights Raju Chinthala’s involvement, the taxpayer contract with Morales’ office, and questions about visa access and venture capital connections. Rob says the question still matters because Morales’ office claimed official business, and the public deserves to know who funded the trip. The show also criticizes Republicans who now act concerned about Morales after years of enabling him. Rob points to lawmakers, Jim Banks, Todd Rokita, and others who supported or funded Morales’ office while ignoring repeated concerns. He argues the party does not really want Morales investigated or held accountable; it simply wants him replaced quietly so the money, donors, and broader Republican brand are not damaged. Another major topic is a website making allegations about Max Engling, including old misdemeanor claims and alleged accounts on adult hookup sites. Rob says he does not like Engling or what he represents politically, but he is not willing to condemn someone over unclear misdemeanor allegations from nearly 20 years ago or consensual adult behavior from his early twenties. He says there are plenty of legitimate reasons to criticize Engling, especially his ties to Jim Banks, without relying on innuendo. The episode closes with Diego sending a mass text to delegates attacking Engling and comparing him to “Republican Hunter Biden.” Rob says that kind of attack shows how ugly the convention race has become and how much damage Republicans have done to themselves by ignoring Morales for years. He argues the party created this mess by refusing to deal with Morales when the warning signs were obvious, and now every faction is trying to survive the fallout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Governor Mike Braun’s comments on data centers and Rob’s argument that Braun is misleading Hoosiers about what these projects actually mean. Rob says Braun claimed data centers will lower property taxes, create high-paying jobs, and help utility rates, but argues those claims do not match how these projects are structured. He points to tax abatements, special taxing districts, limited permanent employment, and out-of-town construction labor as reasons taxpayers should be skeptical. Rob says the larger issue is that Indiana still has no serious statewide framework for data centers, even as communities are being reshaped by them. He argues local governments are being pressured project by project, while residents are left without clear guarantees on property taxes, utilities, water, or long-term local benefits. Rob says Braun appears unwilling to create minimum statewide protections, leaving communities to fight these battles on their own. The show also discusses Indiana University honoring Ryan White with a statue and Rob’s view that White belongs on any Mount Rushmore of influential Hoosiers. Rob reflects on White’s impact on public health and public understanding of AIDS, then previews old interview audio with Donald Trump discussing White, along with a 2016 interview involving Mike Pence and Eric Holcomb. Another major segment focuses on Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith’s comments about Islam and the Statehouse response from leaders including Treasurer Daniel Elliott. Rob argues Beckwith craves attention and uses inflammatory cultural or religious comments to get it, rather than fighting on policy issues like property taxes, utility bills, IEDC giveaways, tolling, or the Bears stadium subsidy. He says Beckwith was elected by many people who wanted him to be a check on Braun, but instead gave up power and has failed to deliver on the issues that matter most to taxpayers. The episode closes with Rob warning that Republicans keep excusing bad behavior on their own side until it becomes impossible to ignore. He says Daniel Elliott’s criticism of faith-based hate carries more weight because Elliott has conservative credibility and is not coming from the left. Rob argues voters who are tired of Diego Morales, Micah Beckwith, rising taxes, corporate giveaways, and weak accountability should send that message in this fall’s Secretary of State race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with suburban leaders increasingly speaking out about violence from Marion County spilling into surrounding communities. Rob says Carmel Mayor Sue Finkam helped start the public pushback after a violent carjacking, and now Hendricks County Prosecutor Loren Delp is adding data showing a sharp increase in murder defendants coming from Marion County into Hendricks County. Rob argues this proves the issue is no longer contained to Indianapolis. Rob says the problem is bigger than Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears alone. He argues the judges, Mayor Joe Hogsett, and the broader Marion County justice system have all contributed to an environment where repeat offenders do not fear consequences. Rob says local control matters, but when Marion County’s failures begin draining law enforcement, court, and taxpayer resources in other counties, surrounding communities have a legitimate right to demand state action. The show also looks at how downtown Indianapolis has changed under years of violence, disorder, and weak leadership. Rob reflects on how safe and active downtown once felt compared to what he sees now, with businesses gone, commercial real estate cheaper, and people more cautious about where and when they go. He says if Marion County leaders will not fix the problem themselves, the General Assembly may finally have enough reason to step in. Another major topic is inflation, after new Labor Department numbers showed consumer prices rising 4.2% in May, the first time inflation topped 4% since 2023. Rob says Trump will be judged by whether he can make life more affordable, and so far he has not done enough to address the price of everyday goods. He criticizes Trump’s response to the inflation numbers, especially saying he “loves inflation,” arguing that the comment will likely be used against Republicans in swing races. The episode closes with Rob criticizing Trump’s handling of Iran and oil prices. He says Trump campaigned as the no-more-wars candidate, but now sounds more like George W. Bush by claiming Iran was close to a nuclear weapon without showing proof. Rob argues Americans are still paying more for oil and gas, and they do not want to hear political spin when prices remain high. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beau Bayh was victorious at the Democrat Convention, securing his nomination to run for Secretary of State. Bayh's next challenge becomes to unite his moderate wing of the party with the hard left that voted for his opponent Blythe Potter. Meanwhile, the Republicans face chaos at their convention, as the Secretary of State race threatens to fracture the party. Rob Kendall, Abdul-Hakim Shabazz, and Jim Merritt discuss all this and more on Statehouse Happenings. You can find more information at RobKendallShow.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show focuses on Indiana’s data center boom and the lack of a statewide framework for how these projects should work. Rob points to new reporting that the IEDC has provided roughly $655 million in incentives and tax breaks for data centers, while communities are left to figure out the consequences on their own. He argues data centers have value, but taxpayers deserve transparency, clear protections, and a defined local benefit before massive projects reshape their communities. Shelbyville remains a major example of that fight, where residents are pushing back against a proposed data center development and feel ignored by local leaders. Rob says the mayor’s caught-on-tape comments insulting opponents of the project only deepened the anger, especially after the city overrode its own planning commission. The broader concern is that without state-level rules, every community will be forced to battle these projects one at a time while the state continues subsidizing them. The show also turns to the Supreme Court and a pending case over whether mail-in ballots can be counted after Election Day in federal elections. Rob says the ruling could have major national consequences, especially after repeated controversies in California and other states where ballots are still being processed days after polls close. He argues ballots should be received by Election Day, not merely postmarked by then, because extended counting creates distrust and gives people reason to suspect shenanigans. Rob also criticizes California’s universal mail-in voting system, where millions of ballots are sent automatically and large numbers remain unprocessed nearly a week after Election Day. He says he is not against modern voting machines or reasonable absentee voting, but believes mass mail-in voting without strong verification is an obvious problem. Rob argues voter ID and clear Election Day deadlines are basic safeguards that should not be controversial. The episode closes with more fallout over Indiana sheriffs, after Rob realizes he left Scott County’s former sheriff Kenneth Hughbanks off his recent list of troubled sheriffs. Rob details Hughbanks’ guilty plea related to tax evasion and his connection to Jamey Noel, then notes that Hughbanks, Diego Morales, and Jennifer-Ruth Green were still listed on Jim Banks’ endorsement page. Rob says the repeated sheriff scandals show Indiana has a serious accountability problem, especially when politically connected figures remain tied into the Republican power structure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob’s frustration over Indiana’s property tax assessment system after trying to understand his own assessment. He explains that his home was assessed higher than nearby comparable homes, including one with a larger house and lot, but the assessor’s office could not clearly explain why. Rob argues the problem is not only that property taxes are unfair, but that the government cannot even explain how it decides what people owe. Rob says the assessment system is broken because the burden falls on homeowners to prove the government made a mistake, even when the assessor’s office appears unable to justify the numbers. He walks through the appeal process and says it can take months or even years before a taxpayer gets an answer. Rob argues lawmakers know assessments are the core issue, but continue avoiding meaningful reform while homeowners are left fighting a confusing system on their own. The show also criticizes Indiana Republicans for focusing on major spending projects while failing to fix basic taxpayer problems. Rob points to politicians celebrating the possibility of bringing the Chicago Bears to Indiana while ordinary homeowners cannot get clear answers about why their tax bills are going up. He says the same Republican officials who argue with him online should be spending that time fixing the property tax system they helped create. Another segment covers the arrest of Jennings County Sheriff Kenny Freeman Jr., who was indicted after an investigation into stolen campaign signs. Rob explains that a sheriff candidate used a GPS tracker on one of his signs, which allegedly led investigators to Freeman’s property. Rob says stealing campaign signs is one of the dumbest and lowest forms of political behavior because signs cost money, represent free speech, and matter especially in local races. The episode closes with Rob arguing Indiana needs serious reform around sheriffs and law enforcement accountability. He notes that this is the fourth Indiana sheriff by his count to face arrest or charges in recent years, which he says points to a larger problem with sheriffs acting as though they are above the law. Rob says the state should hold sheriffs to a higher standard because they are the chief law enforcement officers in their counties. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show focuses on the Chicago Bears’ announcement that their board voted to advance a stadium project in Hammond, Indiana. Rob breaks down the carefully worded statement, pointing out that the Bears did not say the move is final or that a deal has been signed. He says Indiana politicians are acting like it is done, but the Bears’ language suggests they may still be using Indiana as leverage against Illinois. Rob compares the reactions from Indiana leaders, noting that House Speaker Todd Huston sounded certain the Bears are coming, while Governor Braun was more cautious and said major real estate deals are not final until they are truly completed. Rob argues Braun’s more measured tone reflects the reality that Chicago and Arlington Heights may still be in play, especially since Illinois officials continue saying they remain open to keeping the Bears. The show also digs into the political and financial stakes of the Bears proposal. Rob says Indiana’s offer is extremely generous to the team, with taxpayers potentially helping subsidize a multibillion-dollar franchise through toll road money, tax breaks, and other public support. He argues that while landing an NFL team would be a major spectacle, it could come at a serious cost to regular Hoosiers. Another major topic is Trump’s interview on Meet the Press, where he clashed with Kristen Welker over California’s election system. Rob says California’s slow vote count, mail-in ballot rules, and jungle primary process create exactly the kind of distrust that fuels claims of rigged elections. He argues that even if no fraud is proven, taking a week or more to count ballots is unacceptable and makes the system look broken. The episode closes with Rob saying California’s election process needs serious reform, especially when late-counted ballots repeatedly change the direction of races. He argues voters should have confidence in results quickly after Election Day, and that states should not be counting large numbers of ballots days later. Rob says systems like Indiana’s, with voter ID and faster reporting, do far more to protect public trust. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show focuses on the growing meltdown inside the Indiana Republican Party. Rob argues many Republican voters have spent years frustrated by a party that promises lower taxes and smaller government, but delivers record taxes, bigger government, and overcollection of taxpayer money. He points to Governor Braun suspending the gas tax while using state reserves to cover the cost, saying those reserves prove Hoosiers were overtaxed in the first place. Rob says the bigger Republican panic is tied to the Secretary of State race, where Beau Bayh is likely to become the Democratic nominee and Greg Ballard may qualify for the ballot as an independent. He argues Republicans have depended for years on weak Democratic candidates and no serious third-party challenge, but that formula could fall apart if Bayh brings money and moderation while Ballard gives disaffected Republicans another place to go. The show also looks at the possibility of Ballard’s Lincoln Party getting ballot access if he reaches 10% of the vote. Rob says that would create a real long-term threat to Republicans because it could attract stronger candidates, taxpayer-funded primary ballot access, and voters who are tired of both major parties. He frames the current moment as the kind of political disruption he has talked about for years. Another major topic is California’s election system, which Rob calls a disaster. He criticizes the state for still having millions of votes uncounted days after Election Day and says the slow count feeds public distrust, especially when Republican candidates lead early but lose ground as late-counted ballots come in. Rob argues this is why states need clearer national voting standards and why Indiana’s system, with voter ID and quicker results, is far more trustworthy. The episode closes with Rob arguing that confidence in elections depends on speed, transparency, and clear rules. He says California’s system creates the appearance of chaos even if no wrongdoing occurs, and that alone is damaging. Back in Indiana, he says Republicans are facing the consequences of years of bad governance, and the combination of Ballard/Bayh, voter frustration, and internal party fights could make this the most unstable political moment for the GOP in years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Governor Braun once again suspending Indiana’s two gas taxes: the sales tax on gas and the separate gas excise tax. Rob says the move will save drivers about 62.5 cents per gallon, but argues the bigger story is that the suspension proves how much taxes drive up the cost of basic necessities. He says Republicans are only pausing the taxes now because people are paying attention to high gas prices and because the issue is hurting Trump politically. Rob also points to Indiana’s large reserve fund as proof that Hoosiers are being overtaxed. He argues the state can absorb more than $100 million a month in lost gas tax revenue because it has collected far more money than it needed, while still raising taxes last year after inaccurate revenue forecasts. Rob says the gas tax has always been a money grab, and that suspending it temporarily does not fix the larger problem. The show also examines whether Braun even has the legal authority to keep extending the gas tax suspension without action from the General Assembly. Rob argues the law appears to allow only one renewal of the emergency order, but says Braun is likely moving forward because no one is going to sue to make gas more expensive. He criticizes Attorney General Todd Rokita for staying silent on the legal question while Republican leaders praise the move politically. Another major segment focuses on Shelbyville Mayor Scott Ferguson, who was caught on video insulting residents with “no data center” signs in their yards. Rob says the mayor’s comments show open disdain for working-class people and renters who are concerned about a massive proposed data center project in their community. He argues residents have every right to question how a 429-acre, 11-building data center complex could change the look, feel, resources, and future of Shelbyville. The episode closes with Rob using the Shelbyville controversy to make a broader point about politicians and public accountability. He says the mayor’s apology sounded more like regret over getting caught than a real apology to residents. Rob also says Indiana needs a serious statewide framework for data centers that protects communities, taxpayers, water, utilities, and local finances instead of leaving each city to fight these battles on its own. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Both Republicans and Democrats have contested Secretary of State races at their conventions this June. The storylines could not be more different. On the Democrat side, front runner Beau Bayh is seeking a big win over challenger Blythe Potter and to unify his party. The Republicans are attempting to avoid a complete implosion, as the party has become bitterly divided over the abandonment of incumbent Diego Morales.On this week's Statehouse Happenings, Rob Kendall and Jim Merritt preview both conventions and explore how the results could impact the election this fall.You can find more information at RobKendallShow.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show focuses on Greg Ballard’s independent run for Indiana Secretary of State and why Republicans are so worried about it. Rob argues Indiana’s Republican dominance has always depended less on strong governing and more on Democrats being unelectable, and says Ballard could expose how fragile that dominance really is. If Democrats nominate Beau Bayh and Ballard qualifies for the ballot, Rob believes Republicans could face a serious problem from both the center and disaffected conservatives. Rob explains why Ballard’s campaign matters beyond just this one race. If Ballard gets at least 10% of the vote, his Lincoln Party could gain primary ballot access, creating a real third-party structure that could attract establishment Republicans, independents, and voters tired of the current GOP. Rob says that is the real nightmare scenario for Republicans, because it could threaten future races and finally give frustrated voters somewhere else to go. The show also breaks down the difficulty of getting on the ballot as an independent in Indiana. Rob argues the system is deliberately designed by Republicans and Democrats to keep outsiders from running, requiring tens of thousands of verified signatures and making professional help almost necessary. He says criticism of Ballard hiring out-of-state signature gatherers is hypocritical because the system itself forces serious independent candidates to spend huge money just to qualify. Rob also raises concerns about how Republicans appear to have obtained information about Ballard’s signature-gathering operation before the petitions were fully public. He argues that if party officials are getting access to information through local election channels, it reinforces Ballard’s argument that the Secretary of State’s office and election process have become too partisan. Rob says the office should be an impartial administrator, not a tool for either party. The episode closes with a discussion of the Indiana Fever banning reporter Scott Agness from credentialed access after his reporting on Caitlin Clark’s injury status. Rob says Agness has covered the Fever and Pacers for years and should not be punished for reporting information the team did not like. He argues the Fever and WNBA are panicking because Clark is the league’s golden goose, and if fans believe she may not play regularly, the entire surge of interest around the league could fade quickly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob looking at the state of conservative media after a Vox piece about the decline of Ben Shapiro and The Daily Wire. Rob traces the movement from Rush Limbaugh’s dominance in talk radio to the rise of podcasting, Turning Point USA, and The Daily Wire after Rush’s death. He argues that with Charlie Kirk gone, another major vacuum has opened, and the fight to fill it has become less about ideas and more about influence, clicks, and personal branding. Rob says conservative media used to be built around a core set of principles and holding politicians accountable, but he believes much of it has now become a cheerleading operation for approved political figures. He argues the MAGA movement has changed dramatically from what it was when Trump first emerged, pointing to government spending, foreign policy, immigration, and Indiana’s own economic development practices as examples of how words and actions no longer match. The show also turns to Trump, Iran, Israel, and the latest trouble with the ceasefire. Rob argues the United States is stuck in a costly middle ground where Iran remains in power, gas prices are still high, and no clear long-term outcome has been achieved. He says Trump either needed to avoid the conflict or fully commit to removing the Iranian regime, because trying to negotiate with Iran while the Strait of Hormuz remains a pressure point is leaving Americans to pay the price. Rob also criticizes Israel’s role in the latest escalation, saying Netanyahu appears to believe Israel can act however it wants because the United States will continue backing it. He supports Israel’s right to defend itself, but argues American taxpayers deserve to know what they are getting in return when U.S. policy, military resources, and gas prices are all affected. The broader concern is that Iran understands American elections and is using energy prices to pressure Trump and Republicans into concessions. The episode also previews several major Indiana topics, including Indianapolis Democrats claiming they are being forced to raise vehicle taxes, Republican Josh Bain disputing that claim, ongoing questions about the Bears stadium proposal, Diego Morales’ controversies, and Mike Braun’s property tax proposals. Rob frames all of it around the larger question of accountability, arguing the role of media should be to challenge politicians rather than protect them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with the latest chaos surrounding the Chicago Bears stadium situation and whether Indiana taxpayers could end up footing part of the bill. Rob walks through how the Bears have been trying to leverage Illinois for a better stadium deal while Indiana lawmakers rushed to offer a massive package of tax breaks, toll road money, and new local taxes. He argues that if the Bears come to Indiana, it would be a financial disaster for taxpayers across the state, not just people in northwest Indiana. Rob explains how the Illinois General Assembly failed to finalize a Bears stadium deal despite days of drama and late-night negotiations. The Illinois Senate eventually passed a plan that essentially copied parts of Indiana’s proposal, but the House left without taking it up, meaning no final agreement was reached. Rob says the whole situation exposed just how chaotic Illinois government can be, while also making Indiana’s offer more dangerous because the Bears may still use it as a serious option. The show also turns to the Texas Senate race, where Republicans nominated Ken Paxton after his runoff win over John Cornyn. Rob argues Paxton is a walking scandal, pointing to past allegations involving investor fraud, restitution, impeachment, bribery claims, and personal misconduct. He compares the situation to Richard Mourdock in Indiana, warning that Republicans may have turned a safe race into a competitive one by choosing a deeply flawed candidate who could push establishment Republicans and independents away. Rob then returns to Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales and new reporting from the Indiana Capital Chronicle about no-bid contracts tied to a major campaign donor. He highlights payments from the Secretary of State’s office to Maverick Quantum, including contracts worth more than $1 million, while the company’s CEO donated heavily to Morales and also gave money to Governor Braun. Rob argues this is exactly why powerful Republicans do not want a full investigation into Morales, because the money connected to him often overlaps with other major figures in the party. The episode closes with Rob saying the Morales story is not just about one scandal or one officeholder, but about how Indiana politics really works. He argues party leaders are willing to abandon Morales politically, but still do not want prosecutors or investigators digging into the money, contracts, India trip, or other unanswered questions. Rob says the public should follow the money and understand that the same system protecting Morales is also protecting the broader Republican power structure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show focuses on the Indiana Secretary of State race and a joint appearance by Diego Morales, Max Engling, and David Shelton in McCordsville. Rob says the event showed the race may not be over for Morales, even after major Republicans abandoned him, because some delegates still appear receptive to his message about Trump, redistricting, closed primaries, and campaign fundraising. He argues Morales should use the next few weeks and his campaign money to fight back against the party figures who enabled him before turning on him. Rob also criticizes Max Engling’s speech, saying Engling essentially admitted he only entered the race after Jim Banks gave him permission. Rob argues that confirms the concern that Engling’s candidacy is really about Banks trying to control the Secretary of State’s office and the Indiana Republican Party. He says opposing campaigns should use that moment to frame Engling as a Banks proxy rather than an independent candidate for a statewide office. David Shelton also gets attention as the candidate Rob believes is clearly the most qualified for the job. Rob says Shelton understands elections, wants to remove politics from the office, and seems genuinely interested in administering the Secretary of State’s duties rather than using the office as a stepping stone. The problem, Rob argues, is that Shelton’s low-key style may struggle at a convention where delegates often respond more to energy, personality, and political theater than basic competence. The show also returns to the bigger picture of why this race matters so much to the future of the Indiana Republican Party. Rob argues the entire Morales panic is driven by fear that Greg Ballard could qualify for the ballot and give disaffected Republicans a viable third option. He says the mere possibility of a serious third-party challenge has already exposed weakness inside the GOP monopoly and forced party leaders to react in ways they likely would not have if the race were simply Morales versus Beau Bayh. The episode closes with a discussion of Attorney General Todd Rokita joining a lawsuit against the federal government over marijuana reclassification. Rob says the move is especially frustrating because Indiana politicians have long blamed federal law for blocking medical marijuana, only to resist when the federal government moves toward recognizing medical use. He argues the issue should be between patients and doctors, especially for people dealing with serious pain, and says Rokita’s position protects the current system while limiting options for Hoosiers who need relief. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob arguing that Indiana’s property tax system is becoming as complicated and broken as the income tax system. He reacts to Governor Braun signing a property tax exemption for disabled veterans, saying the issue is not whether veterans deserve support, but whether the system itself is fair. Rob argues that when one group is exempted without forcing local governments to take less money, the burden simply shifts to everyone else. Rob says the larger problem is that Indiana leaders keep applying political Band-Aids instead of addressing whether property taxes should exist at all. He points out that homeowners are taxed on something they are not monetizing, often because someone else sold a nearby home for more money. He also warns that if lawmakers start exempting more groups, such as people over 65 or people who have paid off their mortgages, the cost will fall even harder on the remaining taxpayers unless local government spending is actually reduced. The show also takes aim at Braun’s handling of the issue, with Rob saying the governor does not seem genuinely committed to meaningful property tax reform. Rob argues Braun is trying to check boxes by offering targeted relief to certain groups rather than taking on schools, cities, towns, and counties that continue spending heavily. He says the only real solution is forcing local government reform, limiting referendums, and stopping the assessment system from driving bills higher year after year. Another segment focuses on Indianapolis City-County Councilor Jesse Brown and his IndyStar column urging Democrats to reject Beau Bayh. Rob says he disagrees with Brown politically but respects him as one of the few honest voices in city government willing to call out both parties. Rob also agrees with Brown’s broader point that regular people are being squeezed by a system that benefits the wealthy and politically connected, whether through the tax code, wars, utility bills, or AI data center deals. The episode closes with Rob arguing that both parties are failing regular people, even if they arrive there from different ideological directions. He says Brown is right that the wealthy and connected often shape government to benefit themselves, while ordinary taxpayers pay the bill. But when it comes to the Secretary of State race, Rob says Democrats are still likely to choose Beau Bayh because he gives them the strongest chance to win statewide after years of losses, especially if Republicans remain damaged by the Diego Morales scandal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show continues the fight over Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales, with Rob arguing the Republican Party is finally imploding over a scandal it ignored for years. He says party leaders are not abandoning Morales because they suddenly care about ethics, but because they believe he will lose the office if he remains the nominee. Rob argues Morales should fight back, expose the people who enabled him, and refuse to quietly disappear for the benefit of the same Republican power structure that protected him. A major focus is Elina Kupce, the former deputy chief of staff in Morales’ office who reportedly was not a U.S. citizen. Rob says the issue is especially serious because the Secretary of State oversees elections, businesses, and sensitive information tied to millions of Hoosiers. He notes that Morales finally addressed the controversy in a letter to delegates, but did not appear to deny that Kupce was a noncitizen, while Treasurer Daniel Elliott has gone further by claiming she was illegally in the country. Rob also criticizes Elliott, Todd Rokita, Jim Banks, Mike Braun, Micah Beckwith, and other Republicans for acting concerned now after years of silence. He says if they truly believe Morales has done something serious enough to resign, they should be calling for criminal and ethics investigations, not just trying to push him off the ballot. Rob argues the party does not want the full truth exposed because it could implicate the broader Republican network that funded, protected, and benefited from Morales. The show also steps back into a broader discussion about what the Republican Party has become. Rob reflects on once seeing the GOP as a place for free thought, low taxes, accountability, and policing its own, but says that has been replaced by Trump loyalty as the main standard. He points to Morales using his loyalty to Trump as a defense and argues the party now often excuses bad behavior as long as someone is aligned with the right political faction. The episode closes with Rob discussing Ken Paxton winning the Republican Senate runoff in Texas, despite years of serious ethical and legal controversies. Rob compares the reaction to Paxton with the Morales situation, saying Republicans are increasingly willing to celebrate deeply flawed candidates if they have Trump’s support. He warns that while Trump’s endorsement can still dominate Republican primaries, candidates like Paxton may become major liabilities in general elections when voters outside the party base start paying attention. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show focuses heavily on Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales and the Republican Party’s attempt to distance itself from him before the state convention. Rob argues party leaders are not interested in real accountability, but instead want Morales and his scandals to quietly disappear before they cost Republicans the office in November. He points to years of ignored questions about the India trip, no-bid contracts, the $90,000 vehicle, family hires, and Morales’ connections to questionable figures as proof that the party knew exactly what it was dealing with. Rob also criticizes Governor Mike Braun for refusing to take a position on Morales, despite the mounting scandals and recent reporting about former deputy chief of staff Elena Copsey. He argues Braun is treating the race like a normal convention fight, when the issue is really about whether a statewide officeholder who oversees elections and business records has abused public trust. Rob says Braun’s silence is about political self-preservation, shared donors, and avoiding anything that could implicate the broader Republican power structure. A major part of the show breaks down the sudden push behind Max Engling as the Republican alternative to Morales. Rob argues the move is less about finding the most qualified person and more about Jim Banks and Todd Rokita trying to increase their control inside the Indiana Republican Party. He questions why party leaders did not rally behind David Shelton, who actually has election experience, and instead moved toward someone closely tied to Banks after years of standing by Morales. The show also turns to Indiana’s suspended gas taxes, with Rob arguing the pause proves taxes make everyday life more expensive. While he credits Braun for suspending the sales and excise taxes on gas, Rob says the move only happened because voters are furious about high gas prices and because those prices are hurting Trump politically. He warns that if state leaders truly believed the gas taxes were wrong, they would work to eliminate them permanently instead of temporarily suspending them when people are paying attention. The episode closes with a sharp critique of Trump’s handling of the Iran conflict and the confusion around a possible deal. Rob says Trump created unnecessary chaos by suggesting a deal was close without clearly explaining what was in it, leading even supporters like Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz, and Roger Wicker to raise concerns. He argues the administration needs a clear outcome that stops Iran’s nuclear ambitions and support for terrorism, and says Trump’s public messaging has made an already difficult foreign policy situation even more unstable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show focuses on the growing fallout around Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales and the Republican Party’s sudden push to move on from him. Rob argues the real story is not just Morales’ scandals, but the fact that powerful Republicans knew about many of these issues for years and did nothing until they feared losing the office. He says party leaders are now trying to make Morales disappear politically rather than fully exposing what happened inside the Secretary of State’s office. Rob spends much of the show calling out what he sees as gaslighting from Republican officials who previously ignored, defended, or endorsed Morales. He points to questions surrounding the India trip, no-bid contracts, the $90,000 vehicle, use of state resources, and the recent reporting about former deputy chief of staff Elena Copsey. Rob argues that if party leaders were serious about accountability, they would be demanding investigations and answers, not simply pushing Morales aside before the convention. The show also digs into Jim Banks’ role in backing Max Engling as the new Republican alternative for Secretary of State. Rob questions Banks’ explanation that the Copsey story was the final straw, arguing that Engling’s name had already been circulating before that reporting became public. He suggests powerful Republicans may have known about the issue earlier and held it back until Morales became too big of a political liability. Another major topic is whether Copsey, who reportedly rose to deputy chief of staff in Morales’ office, was not only a noncitizen but possibly in the country illegally. Rob highlights comments from Treasurer Daniel Elliott that appear to suggest that possibility and says reporters should press Banks, Rokita, Elliott, and Morales for clear answers. He argues the distinction matters because Republican leaders built their politics around “America First” messaging while apparently ignoring major questions inside one of Indiana’s most sensitive statewide offices. The episode closes with Rob arguing that Morales should stay in the race rather than allow party leaders to quietly push him out and bury the story. He says the situation could expose how the Republican power structure really works, especially if Morales starts talking about the people who enabled him. Rob also highlights Greg Ballard’s reaction, saying the chaos helps prove Ballard’s argument that more competition is needed in Indiana politics because the current system protects insiders instead of voters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show focuses on the growing effort inside the Indiana Republican Party to move on from Secretary of State Diego Morales. Rob argues party leaders are not truly trying to hold Morales accountable, but instead trying to protect themselves after years of ignoring scandals, questions, and warnings about his conduct. He compares the situation to Democrats pushing Joe Biden aside in 2024, saying Republicans praised Morales until they decided he had become too much of a political liability. A major part of the show centers on Max Engling entering the Republican Secretary of State race and the role Rob believes Jim Banks is playing behind the scenes. Rob questions why party leaders suddenly describe Engling as the “viable” alternative when David Shelton, a county clerk with actual election experience, has already been running. He argues the move is less about qualifications and more about power, control, and preventing Morales from dragging the party down in November. Rob also reacts to Jim Banks and Todd Rokita withdrawing their endorsements of Morales. He criticizes both for backing Morales despite years of controversies, then only changing course when it looked like Republicans could lose the office. Rob says the real issue is that they still are not publicly demanding answers about Morales’ India trip, no-bid contracts, use of state resources, the $90,000 car, or the recent questions surrounding former deputy chief of staff Elena Copsey. The show also looks at how Republican officials and state lawmakers are responding to Rob’s criticism. Rob says politicians are trying to dismiss him as irrelevant or bitter while avoiding the underlying issue: they failed to deal with Morales when they had the chance. He argues the audience continues to support the show because it says plainly what many people in Indiana politics already know but refuse to say publicly. The episode closes with Rob urging people not to let the Morales story disappear just because party leaders may try to replace him. He says the public still deserves answers about what happened inside the Secretary of State’s office and why so many powerful Republicans protected Morales for so long. Rob also highlights his latest IndyStar column on school referendums, arguing that Indiana lawmakers should eliminate a system he says is rigged in favor of local governments and school districts seeking more taxpayer money. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show focuses heavily on the Republican Party’s reaction to Congressman Thomas Massie losing his primary after being targeted by President Trump. Kendall argues Massie’s record lined up with many things Republicans claim to support, including lower spending, less debt, transparency, and accountability on the Epstein files. He questions why Massie became a top enemy of the party while figures like Lindsey Graham are treated as allies, saying the message now seems to be loyalty to Trump matters more than conservative principles. Kendall expands that into a broader warning about where the Republican Party is headed. He argues the party is increasingly demanding total obedience to Trump, even from lawmakers like Lauren Boebert who have been loyal but still supported Massie. Kendall says the real test will come in November, when Trump-backed primary winners have to face the larger general electorate, which polling shows is far less enthusiastic about Trump’s policies than Republican primary voters are. The show also revisits new reporting from Indy Politics about Secretary of State Diego Morales and a former high-ranking employee in his office. Kendall highlights questions about whether Elena Copsey, who reportedly served as deputy chief of staff, was a noncitizen and how someone with limited government experience rose to such a senior role. He argues Morales needs to answer basic questions about her status, what she did in the office, why she left, and whether she had access to sensitive information tied to elections and Indiana businesses. Another major topic is the sudden entrance of Max Engling into the Republican Secretary of State race. Kendall explains how the state convention process works and says Engling’s candidacy likely reflects growing concern among delegates that Diego Morales could be a disaster in the general election. While Kendall says David Shelton remains the most qualified candidate, he argues both Shelton and Engling need to directly confront Morales’ record if they want to beat him at convention. The episode closes with a broader look at Republican primary voters versus the general electorate. Kendall argues that while Trump endorsements remain powerful inside GOP primaries, national polling suggests the wider public is increasingly unhappy with inflation, gas prices, spending, and the direction of the country. His warning is that Republicans may keep winning internal party fights while setting themselves up for major losses in the fall if they ignore what voters outside the Trump base are saying. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with new reporting from Indy Politics involving a former deputy chief of staff in Secretary of State Diego Morales’ office. Kendall walks through Abdul-Hakim Shabazz’s reporting that the employee, Elena Copsey, was paid $160,000 a year and carried a driver’s license restriction associated with non-U.S. citizens, while also having previously signed a voter registration form affirming U.S. citizenship. Kendall says there are still unanswered questions, but argues the story is especially serious because Morales has built much of his public image around election integrity, Trump loyalty, and “America First” messaging. Kendall focuses heavily on the implications of a high-ranking official in the Secretary of State’s office potentially being a non-citizen, especially in an office that oversees elections, businesses, and sensitive information tied to millions of Hoosiers. He questions how someone with no listed prior government experience rose so quickly to a senior role and why the position was not publicly posted. He also says Morales should immediately answer the questions raised by the reporting instead of falling back on his usual strategy of attacking the media and waiting for the story to fade. The show also covers Paula Copenhaver officially requesting a recount in her extremely close Senate primary race against Spencer Deery. Kendall says a recount is fair given the margin, but criticizes Copenhaver’s legal strategy of trying to subpoena 14 voters and question whether they were eligible to vote in the Republican primary based on alleged crossover voting. He argues that if voters are legally registered and cast legal ballots, attempting to invalidate them over presumed political intent is dangerous and could set a terrible precedent. That discussion leads into a broader critique of Indiana Republicans pushing to close primaries after the Deery race. Kendall points out that Republicans have benefited from open primaries in the past, including Mike Braun’s own explanation years ago that he voted in Democratic primaries because those races determined local offices where he lived. Kendall argues that if taxpayers fund party primaries, voters should be allowed to choose which ballot they want, especially in heavily gerrymandered areas where the primary is often the only election that matters. The episode closes with a look at the Chicago Bears stadium situation and whether Indiana is still being used as leverage against Illinois. Kendall says he originally believed the Bears were mostly using Indiana to force a better deal in Illinois, but now thinks Indiana’s offer may be so generous that the team could seriously consider leaving. He argues the Bears are ultimately a business chasing the best financial deal, and warns that Indiana taxpayers could end up subsidizing a multibillion-dollar franchise if Illinois fails to get its act together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with a look at new polling showing deep concern about the economy and President Trump’s handling of it. Kendall argues many Republicans are too emotionally attached to Trump to acknowledge warning signs, including voters saying they feel worse off financially, stressed about the economy, and unable to keep up with inflation. He says the numbers point to real trouble for Republicans this fall if affordability, gas prices, and inflation do not improve. Kendall then shifts into a larger question about what the Republican Party is becoming, using Congressman Thomas Massie’s primary fight as the central example. He argues Massie represents many of the principles Republicans claim to support, including lower spending, smaller government, transparency, and skepticism of foreign wars. Despite that, Massie is being targeted by Trump and outside groups because he has been willing to challenge the president. The show also examines how loyalty to Trump has become the dominant force in Republican primaries. Kendall points to polling showing a Trump endorsement remains the most powerful factor among Republican voters, but questions whether that power helps the party in general elections when Trump’s broader economic numbers are weak. He warns that a party built around obedience to one person rather than policy principles may struggle once voters begin judging results outside of the primary electorate. Another major topic is the influence of issues like AI, tech companies, and data centers on voters. Kendall highlights polling showing both Trump and Harris voters are increasingly concerned about regulating AI and large tech companies, calling it a major warning sign for local officials dealing with data center fights in Indiana. He argues candidates who take a strong but reasonable position on data centers could find real support across party lines. The episode closes with Kendall reflecting on what Massie’s race could reveal about the future of the Republican Party. If Massie wins, Kendall says it may show there is still room for independent thought and policy-driven conservatism. If he loses, he argues it will signal that the party has moved even further toward personality-driven politics, where disagreement with Trump is treated as disloyalty no matter how conservative a person’s record may be. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with a look at the changing media landscape and why Kendall believes independent, local-focused shows are succeeding while larger conservative media brands are struggling. Using a New York Magazine article about The Daily Wire as a jumping-off point, he argues audiences are increasingly craving authenticity, independence, and content they cannot get anywhere else. Kendall says the success of his own Indiana-based show comes from staying focused on local issues, refusing to act as a cheerleader for politicians, and being accountable only to the audience. The show then shifts to Brownsburg, where the school system reached an agreement with local government entities to avoid pursuing a school referendum. Kendall explains how the deal came together and frames it as an example of what can happen when officials actually look for creative ways to protect taxpayers. While he remains critical of school spending overall, he gives Brownsburg credit for choosing a smaller, negotiated solution instead of asking voters for a tax increase that would fall outside the property tax caps. Kendall also uses the Brownsburg example to warn other communities about the wave of school referendums expected across Indiana this fall. He argues many school districts will use referendums as an easy way to raise taxes rather than making difficult budget decisions. Kendall lays out a strategy for opposing them, including organizing a group, forming a political action committee, raising money, identifying the strongest arguments against the proposal, and making sure voters understand how much their taxes could increase. Another major topic is the renewed Republican push to close Indiana’s primary elections after concerns that Democrats may have crossed over in the Spencer Deery and Paula Copenhaver race. Kendall argues that if taxpayers are funding party primaries, voters should be allowed to choose which ballot they want. He points out that heavily gerrymandered districts often make the primary the only meaningful election, meaning independents and minority-party voters may have no real voice unless they participate in the dominant party’s primary. The episode closes with a broader critique of political control inside Indiana’s Republican Party. Kendall argues the push for closed primaries is less about principle and more about preventing dissent, limiting voter choice, and protecting insiders from challenges they do not like. He says Republicans who want closed primaries should also support nonpartisan map-drawing, arguing that they should not be allowed to rig districts and then complain when voters use the only election that matters to have a say. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show returns to Indiana’s property tax system, with Kendall arguing that local governments and schools have too much money and little incentive to spend it wisely. He says the real problem is the assessment model, where homeowners are taxed based on what nearby houses sell for even if they have no plans to sell or profit from their own home. Kendall argues that as long as assessments remain the foundation of the system, meaningful property tax reform will never happen. Kendall also reacts to news that lawmakers will study the property assessment process during the summer, but he is skeptical anything meaningful will come from it. He compares the study committee to a delaying tactic, saying lawmakers already know the system is broken but are trying to buy time after homeowners opened new assessment notices and saw their bills rise. He criticizes state leaders for claiming they are still “having conversations” about property taxes after years of warnings and failed reform efforts. The show also covers the future of Indiana’s suspended gas taxes, as Governor Braun’s temporary pause is set to expire unless the General Assembly acts. Kendall questions why Braun is willing to call special sessions for issues like redistricting but appears hesitant when it comes to extending tax relief for drivers. He argues the pattern shows Braun is more willing to fight for Trump’s priorities than for policies that directly save Hoosiers money. Another major topic is the razor-thin Senate race between Spencer Deery and Paula Copenhaver, where Deery’s lead has grown to three votes with only two provisional ballots left to count. Kendall explains how provisional ballots and recount timelines work, using the race as a clear example of why individual votes matter. He also raises concerns about Secretary of State Diego Morales potentially overseeing a recount after aligning himself with Turning Point USA, which backed Copenhaver. The episode closes with a broader discussion about the role of the Secretary of State’s office and why Kendall believes it should be a boring, administrative position rather than a political machine. He points to Greg Ballard’s pledge not to endorse candidates in races his office would oversee as an example of why neutrality matters. Kendall argues the office has become increasingly politicized, especially under Diego Morales, and says that creates real problems when close elections and recounts require public trust. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is attempting to dissolve a non-profit organization in Hamilton County that has not produced a budget or had a board meeting in years. At the heart of the drama is an attempt by the organization to sell land to one of their attorneys, Mario Massillamany, who is also the Hamilton County Republican Party Chairman. Massillamany also just happens to be a longtime rival of Rokita. Now Rokita's office is blocking the sale of the land and insinuating shenanigans could have been involved between Massillamany and the non-profit. Massillamany claims it is all about Rokita's vendetta against him. Rob Kendall, Abdul-Hakim Shabazz and Jim Merritt try to make sense of the Republican power player showdown on this week's Statehouse Happenings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices