Democrats eye open Eighth District seat

MIKE GRANT

TIMES HERALD

A former State Representative is weighing a possible run for Congress. Radio station owner Dave Crooks says he is considering a run for the Eighth District Congressional seat held by Dr. Larry Bucshon. Bucshon announced his intent to not seek reelection this year after serving seven terms in the House of Representatives.

“I want to thank Congressman Bucshon for his 14 years of service,” said Crooks. “It is not easy serving 14 years in congress. As soon as I heard his announcement my phone has been burning up with questions on whether I would run.”

Crooks is no stranger to politics in southern Indiana. While living in Washington, he served 12 years in the Indiana House of Representatives. He left the legislature to run for Congress against Dr. Bucshon 13 years ago, but was unable to beat him.

Crooks spent a number of years as the Daviess County Democrat party chairman before he sold his radio stations in Washington and moved to Brazil to run his stations in the Terre Haute area.

About one year ago he moved back into politics when he was elected as the Eighth District Democrat party chairman. Now, the question is will he run for Congress a second time.

“I am considering it,” he said. “Shelli (Crooks wife) is not fully on board yet. This is also a much different district in 2024 than when I ran in 2012. I have to consider whether the people who are going to vote for Donald Trump are going to be willing to split their ballot and vote for a Democrat for Congress. Most people would say that is unlikely. At the same time, a lot of people are fed up with Congress. There are all kinds of things that are not being dealt with. There is a border crisis that needs a solution because neither side has been willing to do it for 30 years. The $34 trillion deficit cannot continue to be ignored.”

Sounding more like a candidate

See DEMOCRATS on A2

Dave Crooks

CONTINUED FROM A1

than a considerer, Crooks points to his background as a way to take on the issues.

“I’ve spent 40 years balancing my books with my radio stations,” he said. “If people want someone who is pragmatic, has been there and done that, is willing to work across the aisle to get stuff done and balance budgets, I am interested. I might be overqualified because it seems that nobody in congress seems to have those skills these days.”

As the district chairman Crooks is in an unusual position. He may be considering a candidacy, but at the same time is trying to recruit people to run.

“Believe me, any democrat who wants to run is more than welcome to,” he said. “If we can find someone better than Dave Crooks, I will be the first to write them a check and support them. I am looking for the most viable, credible candidate we can find. I want someone who can win and then be pragmatic to get stuff done. Winning elections is fine but we need people who are willing to solve the big problems. This current congress is the most unproductive in American history.”

The Eighth District has been redrawn since Democrats like Brad Ellsworth and Frank McCloskey held the seat. The Democrat stronghold of Bloomington was gerrymandered out and replaced with rural counties with large Republican majorities.

“If people are serious about congress and want pragmatic, independent representation and are willing to put the party affiliation, then I feel I am a great option,” said Crooks. “But if people are just going to blindly pull that straight party ballot, no democrat has a chance. That leaves me to consider whether 2024 will be the kind of year where people will consider splitting their ballot.”

Crooks is 60 years old and he says that any Democrat jumping into the run for congress will be running a different campaign than what Crooks attempted his first time around.

“If I get in it would have to be a different type of campaign,” he said. “I don’t have visions of raising a million dollars like I did back then. I won’t have a full-fledged staff. For anyone who runs it will be a low-budget operation.”

So far, there is one announced candidate for the Democrat nomination. That is Kellie Moore. She is a first-time political candidate living in Princeton. Her website indicates she supports raising the minimum wage, police reform, and legalizing cannabis.

Bucshon is not the only Republican member of Indiana’s congressional delegation to indicate they will not return for another term. Sixth District Congressman Greg Pence and Fifth District Congresswoman Victoria Spartz have also announced plans not to run. Third District Congressman Jim Banks is leaving the House to run for the Senate seat now held by Mike Braun. Braun is running for governor.