Fran Katz deserves her turn at bat. District 19 race heats up!

 Fran Katz Website

I was sorry that I was tied up when Fran Katz held her kickoff for district 19 State Representative race on the 16th of March whereas I was able to attend and blog on Dan Klein's.   So now I am in all fairness giving Fran Katz her turn at bat, so to speak.  First I noted that among the attendees at Buddy and Pal's for the Katz kickoff were State Sen. Sue Landske (my Senator for many years now),  Art Handley, Doc Reinert, Dean and Mikey Jones, Jim and Deb Cuffia, US Rep candidate Rob Pastore, Arron Pinkus, Janet and Lisa Curley, Cornell Raab and Bryan Bodamer.  Whew!  Not a bad turnout. 

The following comes from attributed websites in chronological order.

Perhaps you say, so what, I am in Don Lehe's district anyway, why should I care?

Answer:  This next State Congress is going to be in charge of reapportionment of districts and lots of people now represented by Don Lehe may find themselves in District 19 before the 2012 election rolls around.  Also, you should have an idea of the players in the Indiana Primary because many races in November will actually be won or lost in May!  So if you are not in District 19 but border it now, it may belong to you (or you may belong to it depending on your viewpoint) in the near future.  So therefore the wise voter pays attention!!!

So I checked online resources and wound up on NorthwestIndiana.com where this caught my eye:

"RENOWNED SCIENCE LEADER, BUSINESSWOMAN FRAN KATZ FILES FOR DISTRICT 19 GOP CANDIDACY

(February 16, 2010 – Crown Point) Fran Katz, who grew up on a Hoosier Farm and rose to Vice President of Research at American Maize (now Cargill) in Whiting filed her candidacy on Tuesday for the GOP nomination for District 19 State Representative.

Katz is dedicated to fighting corrupt pay-to-play politics and using her considerable business skills and contacts to bring economic development to Northwest Indiana.

Kim Krull, Chairman of the Lake County GOP, said Katz represents the quality of candidate Republicans will field to fight corrupt politics in Lake County so that economic development is revived.

A native Hoosier, Katz grew up on an Indiana farm, worked her way through the University of Indianapolis and received an MBA from the University of Chicago. She is one of the nation’s most respected women in the Food/Agricultural industries and her name is on 13 United States patents.

She served as a leader of the successful Independent campaign to eliminate political corruption from Chicago’s 43rd Ward (population 55,000), and helped defeat long entrenched Democratic Councilmen Paddy Bauler/Danny O’Brien.

Her experience in legislative matters includes twice testifying before Congressional Committees."

I've met and I like Kim Krull, so if she likes Fran that is a plus in my book.  Then I spotted this in one of blogs I now follow (look in my links list) Northwest Indiana Politics aka Pundits:

"A specialist in food and agricultural industries and a former Crown Point mayor may face off for the Republican nomination for the Indiana House District 19 seat.

Fran Katz, 72, of Crown Point, the chief operating officer of the American Society of Agronomy, filed paperwork for the nomination Tuesday in Indianapolis.

Katz, a graduate of the University of Indianapolis and the University of Chicago, said after her boss heard her "gripe and moan" about politicians, she was asked when she was going to put her money where her mouth is and decided to run.

In a statement, Katz said she led an independent campaign to eliminate political corruption in Chicago's 43rd ward and wants to fight pay-to-play politics and bring economic development to the region. She said her name is on 13 U.S. patents and she has twice testified before congressional committees"

Finally, I see today that Fran Katz has challenged Dan Klein to a debate!  Good deal!  I hope there is an agreement and that We The People can see and hear what both of them have to say...the news article from today's NWI Times article is below:

CROWN POINT | Frances Katz, a Republican candidate for the District 19 state representative seat, is challenging Daniel Klein, her Republican opponent, to a debate.

Katz states in a news release that she wants Klein "to debate the issues confronting the State of Indiana and District 19."

Klein said Friday, "I'm open to a debate to discuss what I stand for. I will be looking for a neutral party to run the debate," Klein said.

Katz and Klein are seeking the GOP's nomination to run for the state legislative seat now held by incumbent State rep. Shelli Vandenburgh, a Democrat. -- By Times Staff