Tippecanoe County Democrats —

Party chair Heather Maddox says she's still looking for interested Democratic candidates to run for the County Council District 1 seat. Mike Simpson withdrew last month. Tippecanoe County Democrats have a caucus scheduled for Aug. 14 to fill the ballot vacancy. You can reach Heather at 586-7380 or by email here.

"The Republican Party agenda has become the tea party agenda and vice-versa," says Democratic National Committee chair Tim Kaine, and he goes on to point out that members of the new Tea Party caucus are Republican leaders, including including Republican Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Pete Sessions and Republican Caucus Chairman Mike Pence. "You don't know where the Republican Party ends and the tea party begins and vice-versa, and they have to own that," says DNC vice chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz. This is a message that Democrats will be emphasizing during the August recess in preparation for November's elections. To drive home the point, the party has released "The Republican Tea Party Contract on America," 10 points which Kaine says will become the agenda if Republicans return to power in the legislature. You can read the contract here and more about the blending of Republican and Tea Party agendas here.

David Sanders has announced a schedule of debates in the race to serve as the Representative of Indiana's Fourth Congressional District. He has been joined in these debates by Libertarian John Duncan, but thus far Republican Todd Rokita has remained noncommital; Sanders has been waiting 50 days for Rokita to respond to his invitation to debate. "A vibrant democracy requires informed voters," Sanders said. "One of the best ways to do that is to hold debates," Sanders said.

Sanders has scheduled one debate to be held Aug. 10 in Ellettsville and another will be on Aug. 24 in Greenwood. You can read more about the debates here.

You can view Brad Ellsworth's latest campaign ad here.

The Alliance For Climate Protection has begun to focus on Indiana’s fourth congressional district by basing a Repower Field Organizer, Brandon Monson, in Lafayette and West Lafayette. If you want to be a part of the change that brings clean energy to Indiana and secures a safer, greener tomorrow with American jobs, volunteer for Alliance For Climate Protection. Contact Brandon Monson at 801-651-6712 or at brandon.monson@climateprotect.org.