As GOP combs church belfries for a mayoral candidate, White laps Gahan.

I'm more convinced than ever that the single best GOP candidate for mayor of New Albany already has filed to enter the race.

His name is David White.

Inconveniently for the GOP's Chris Lane, White is somewhat weirdly contesting the primary as a DemoDisneyDixiecrat.

White's platform is 48% state chamber of commerce "economic development" boilerplate, 49% recitation of his own business career, and in the main, utterly indistinguishable from Mitt Romney's trickle-down, one-percenter pats on the head.

To be sure, White mostly steers clear of right-side social issues, and espouses a libertarian stance in matters of conscience. I'll credit him for that. He might be ready to support downtown street network reforms -- publicly, no less. However, I'm not the one to issue that particular press release. We'll see.

In a perfect local cosmos, White would be a shoo-in to defeat Jeff "Down Low on the Ohio" Gahan, the DemoDisneyDixiecrat incumbent, who cannot run on the basis of economic plans he obviously has not bothered to concoct. White is in a position to smash to kindling Gahan's dubious record of scattershot non-connectivity by relentlessly questioning the deficit financing making possible the mayor's shiny new beads.

White's big problem?

Gahan is the club. He looks in the mirror each morning and sees an amalgam of RFK, FDR and Dr. King, and while this brings to mind Hans Christian Andersen's famous trouserless formulation, it undoubtedly appeals to local DemoDisneyDixiecrats who purchased their mirrors at the same delusional chain store ... or who reside on the accredited side of the gravy train's seemingly limitless tracks.

My own electoral territory come autumn encompasses everything and everyone to the left of White, excepting those few diehards who choose to ignore the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, and persist in the belief that local Democrats are democratic. I see this terrain as more expansive than commonly imagined. How would we know when so few have ventured into it?

It's hard to see how a Republican fits into any of this. Perhaps the GOP will dispense with economics entirely, and run a fundamentalist preacher instead.

Wait continues for GOP mayoral candidate in New Albany, by Daniel Suddeath (N and T)

NEW ALBANY — Floyd County Republican Party Chairman Chris Lane expects to present a candidate for New Albany mayor by the end of the week.

Though he declined to name the people, Lane said Tuesday two candidates have emerged and are basically deciding among themselves which will file for the race.

“They’re just trying to make it a cooperative effort,” he said. “They really don’t want a primary.”

Looking ahead to city elections in 2015, the Floyd County GOP has a new central committee.

"Please welcome the new Floyd County Republican Party Central Committee: Chairman, Chris Lane, Vice Chair, Aaron Minnich, Secretary, Dale Bagshaw and Treasurer, Shawn Carruthers."

One out of two proper spellings of Dale Bagshaw's name isn't that bad.

Until proven otherwise, what this reshuffle means to me is that fresh off its recent lopsided wins in the county, Republicans are serious about contending city elections in 2015. Dave Matthews got what he was capable of getting in the county, and a new slate will renew efforts in the city.

I'm no Republican, but it's fairly clear that the party's urban odds have gotten far better in the aftermath of its 2014 county/state performance, and more significantly, in comparison with the continued deterioration of the Demo-Dixiecrat political machine, in both mechanics and intellectual content.

Insurgent lines grow ever more sharp. Voting Republican is one thing, but building a credible alternative to our exhausted and cowardly Democrats is something else entirely. You'd think the latter couldn't afford to lose its left wing during challenging times like these, but you may be giving the censors in charge a little bit too much credit for tactical grasp.

It's fairly certain that Dave Matthews and I disagree on most issues, but I'll give him his due: As he steps aside, he has left his forces in fine fettle.

What does Adam Dickey carry in his wallet?

Perhaps a post-it note with U-Haul prices is advisable.

This judicial sinecure may, or it may not, be the place for servitude.

I thought Halloween was in October?

The newspaper may not cover the waterfront, but reporter Daniel Suddeath covers the race for judge, which evidently is so important that only the four candidates for sheriff seem to be spending more money for signs than this quartet currently is -- with the notable exception of James "Jim" Hancock. I've rewritten just one crucial sentence:

Hancock, 61, is frank about his reasoning for seeking the judge’s seat. "Buying those old Glenn Hancock signs at the yard sale was the best move I ever made," he said. "A bit of white-out, and I'm good to go.

Apart from that, a very gentle point about words:

ser·vi·tude
ˈsərviˌt(y)o͞od/
noun
the state of being a slave or completely subject to someone more powerful.
synonyms: slavery, enslavement, bondage, subjugation, subjection, domination; More
antonyms: liberty
LAWarchaic ... the subjection of property to an easement.

As opposed to ...

serv·ice
ˈsərvis/
noun
1.
the action of helping or doing work for someone.
"millions are involved in voluntary service"
synonyms: favor, kindness, good turn, helping hand

If the judge's position merits campaign expenditures like these, my guess is that "service" is more appropriate than "servitude," even if other words spring readily to mind.

Open thread: Elections for Floyd County Superior Court 2 & 3.

The election’s only a week away, and it’s time to consider the local races. NAC’s pants-down editorial board hasn’t undertaken a detailed consideration of the candidates, which is to say there hasn’t been the chance to set aside three hours for beer, pizza and politics. For now, we're throwing out local contests randomly for discussion, and using the Tribune's hard work to set the table. Thanks, guys.

First up, the two contested judicial races. In the new Floyd Superior 3 ...

Attorneys battle to become judge of new Floyd County court, by Matt Thacker (News and Tribune).

Two New Albany attorneys are facing off to become the first judge of the newly created Floyd County Superior Court No. 3. The campaigns have focused on what type of experience is most important for a judge.

Republican Rick Fox, 53, boasts 21 years of experience in the courtroom and has represented various agencies at different levels of government. Democrat Maria Granger, 53, says she already has judicial experience as a Supreme Court Hearing Officer and taught Business Law at Indiana University Southeast.

Fox has accused Granger of not having enough jury trial experience.“I’ve tried criminal and civil jury trials as well as have had many cases in the Indiana Court of Appeals,” Fox said. “I think that distinguishes my record from (Granger’s) record.”

Granger said that she has tried about 10 cases before a jury, but also manages more than 600 cases per year as Hearing Officer.

Earlier today at Freedom of Speech, Granger repeated a statement that first drew attention here during last spring’s primary, and that Fox references above:

I am also the only candidate in this race who has fought crime for more than five years and prosecuted hundreds of cases before judges and juries.

Perhaps our resident legal minds can help make sense of this lingering oddity. What constitutes a case before a judge and jury, and how many has she really tried?

ELECTION Q & A 2008: Floyd Superior Court 3
Maria Granger for Judge (Superior III)
Rick Fox for Judge (Superior III)

The other contested judicial race is Superior 2, pitting Glenn Hancock (D) and Chris Lane (R).

ELECTION Q&A 2008: Floyd Superior Court 2
Glenn Hancock for Judge (Superior II)
Chris Lane for Judge (Superior II)

Susan Orth (D) is unopposed in Superior I: Susan Orth for Judge (Superior I).

Please post your thoughts, subject to the usual identification policy.