Former Fort Wayne Democratic City Councilman Tom Hayhurst plans to give 3rd District Republican Rep. Mark Souder a rematch:
Hayhurst said that "the economy here is a huge problem," adding that the unemployment rates in some areas of northeastern Indiana are "approaching" Depression-era levels.
"I think there needs to be more focus with regard to that particular challenge," Hayhurst said.
Hayhurst, a medical doctor who's worked in free health clinics, also said that "the health care situation is very bad."
Souder beat Hayhurst 54 to 46 percent, which is a real squeaker considering Souder's other wins, so Hayhurst might seem a logical candidate to take the congressman on again. But Souder won the next race, against attorney Michael Montagano, by 15 percent, and the district is as Republican as ever. Though the state went for Barack Obama, the 3rd chose John McCain.
And I'm not sure how effective the economy and health care will be as issues next year. The president and his party, rightly or wrongly, tend to get the credit or blame for whatever current economic conditions are. If the economy is still in the tank, I'm guessing it will be more of an issue for Souder than Hayhurst. And health care reform will either be passed by then -- which would make it a moot point on the campaign trail -- or it will have been stalled or killed, which coul
