5/21/26 - Statehouse Happenings

6/3/26 - GOP Hypocrisy on Greg Ballard, Indiana Fever ban reporter, Intel nominee under fire

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show focuses on Greg Ballard’s independent run for Indiana Secretary of State and why Republicans are so worried about it. Rob argues Indiana’s Republican dominance has always depended less on strong governing and more on Democrats being unelectable, and says Ballard could expose how fragile that dominance really is. If Democrats nominate Beau Bayh and Ballard qualifies for the ballot, Rob believes Republicans could face a serious problem from both the center and disaffected conservatives. Rob explains why Ballard’s campaign matters beyond just this one race. If Ballard gets at least 10% of the vote, his Lincoln Party could gain primary ballot access, creating a real third-party structure that could attract establishment Republicans, independents, and voters tired of the current GOP. Rob says that is the real nightmare scenario for Republicans, because it could threaten future races and finally give frustrated voters somewhere else to go. The show also breaks down the difficulty of getting on the ballot as an independent in Indiana. Rob argues the system is deliberately designed by Republicans and Democrats to keep outsiders from running, requiring tens of thousands of verified signatures and making professional help almost necessary. He says criticism of Ballard hiring out-of-state signature gatherers is hypocritical because the system itself forces serious independent candidates to spend huge money just to qualify. Rob also raises concerns about how Republicans appear to have obtained information about Ballard’s signature-gathering operation before the petitions were fully public. He argues that if party officials are getting access to information through local election channels, it reinforces Ballard’s argument that the Secretary of State’s office and election process have become too partisan. Rob says the office should be an impartial administrator, not a tool for either party. The episode closes with a discussion of the Indiana Fever banning reporter Scott Agness from credentialed access after his reporting on Caitlin Clark’s injury status. Rob says Agness has covered the Fever and Pacers for years and should not be punished for reporting information the team did not like. He argues the Fever and WNBA are panicking because Clark is the league’s golden goose, and if fans believe she may not play regularly, the entire surge of interest around the league could fade quickly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

6/2/26 - Iran/U.S. peace deal collapse, Indy road funding disaster, Bears chances to Indiana improve

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob looking at the state of conservative media after a Vox piece about the decline of Ben Shapiro and The Daily Wire. Rob traces the movement from Rush Limbaugh’s dominance in talk radio to the rise of podcasting, Turning Point USA, and The Daily Wire after Rush’s death. He argues that with Charlie Kirk gone, another major vacuum has opened, and the fight to fill it has become less about ideas and more about influence, clicks, and personal branding. Rob says conservative media used to be built around a core set of principles and holding politicians accountable, but he believes much of it has now become a cheerleading operation for approved political figures. He argues the MAGA movement has changed dramatically from what it was when Trump first emerged, pointing to government spending, foreign policy, immigration, and Indiana’s own economic development practices as examples of how words and actions no longer match. The show also turns to Trump, Iran, Israel, and the latest trouble with the ceasefire. Rob argues the United States is stuck in a costly middle ground where Iran remains in power, gas prices are still high, and no clear long-term outcome has been achieved. He says Trump either needed to avoid the conflict or fully commit to removing the Iranian regime, because trying to negotiate with Iran while the Strait of Hormuz remains a pressure point is leaving Americans to pay the price. Rob also criticizes Israel’s role in the latest escalation, saying Netanyahu appears to believe Israel can act however it wants because the United States will continue backing it. He supports Israel’s right to defend itself, but argues American taxpayers deserve to know what they are getting in return when U.S. policy, military resources, and gas prices are all affected. The broader concern is that Iran understands American elections and is using energy prices to pressure Trump and Republicans into concessions. The episode also previews several major Indiana topics, including Indianapolis Democrats claiming they are being forced to raise vehicle taxes, Republican Josh Bain disputing that claim, ongoing questions about the Bears stadium proposal, Diego Morales’ controversies, and Mike Braun’s property tax proposals. Rob frames all of it around the larger question of accountability, arguing the role of media should be to challenge politicians rather than protect them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

6/1/26 - GOP Bribes Indy to raise taxes, Trump replaces concert with himself, Referendums are coming

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with the latest chaos surrounding the Chicago Bears stadium situation and whether Indiana taxpayers could end up footing part of the bill. Rob walks through how the Bears have been trying to leverage Illinois for a better stadium deal while Indiana lawmakers rushed to offer a massive package of tax breaks, toll road money, and new local taxes. He argues that if the Bears come to Indiana, it would be a financial disaster for taxpayers across the state, not just people in northwest Indiana. Rob explains how the Illinois General Assembly failed to finalize a Bears stadium deal despite days of drama and late-night negotiations. The Illinois Senate eventually passed a plan that essentially copied parts of Indiana’s proposal, but the House left without taking it up, meaning no final agreement was reached. Rob says the whole situation exposed just how chaotic Illinois government can be, while also making Indiana’s offer more dangerous because the Bears may still use it as a serious option. The show also turns to the Texas Senate race, where Republicans nominated Ken Paxton after his runoff win over John Cornyn. Rob argues Paxton is a walking scandal, pointing to past allegations involving investor fraud, restitution, impeachment, bribery claims, and personal misconduct. He compares the situation to Richard Mourdock in Indiana, warning that Republicans may have turned a safe race into a competitive one by choosing a deeply flawed candidate who could push establishment Republicans and independents away. Rob then returns to Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales and new reporting from the Indiana Capital Chronicle about no-bid contracts tied to a major campaign donor. He highlights payments from the Secretary of State’s office to Maverick Quantum, including contracts worth more than $1 million, while the company’s CEO donated heavily to Morales and also gave money to Governor Braun. Rob argues this is exactly why powerful Republicans do not want a full investigation into Morales, because the money connected to him often overlaps with other major figures in the party. The episode closes with Rob saying the Morales story is not just about one scandal or one officeholder, but about how Indiana politics really works. He argues party leaders are willing to abandon Morales politically, but still do not want prosecutors or investigators digging into the money, contracts, India trip, or other unanswered questions. Rob says the public should follow the money and understand that the same system protecting Morales is also protecting the broader Republican power structure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

5/29/26 - Todd Rokita wages war on weed, Social Security going down, Bipartisan plan to save NCAA

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show focuses on the Indiana Secretary of State race and a joint appearance by Diego Morales, Max Engling, and David Shelton in McCordsville. Rob says the event showed the race may not be over for Morales, even after major Republicans abandoned him, because some delegates still appear receptive to his message about Trump, redistricting, closed primaries, and campaign fundraising. He argues Morales should use the next few weeks and his campaign money to fight back against the party figures who enabled him before turning on him. Rob also criticizes Max Engling’s speech, saying Engling essentially admitted he only entered the race after Jim Banks gave him permission. Rob argues that confirms the concern that Engling’s candidacy is really about Banks trying to control the Secretary of State’s office and the Indiana Republican Party. He says opposing campaigns should use that moment to frame Engling as a Banks proxy rather than an independent candidate for a statewide office. David Shelton also gets attention as the candidate Rob believes is clearly the most qualified for the job. Rob says Shelton understands elections, wants to remove politics from the office, and seems genuinely interested in administering the Secretary of State’s duties rather than using the office as a stepping stone. The problem, Rob argues, is that Shelton’s low-key style may struggle at a convention where delegates often respond more to energy, personality, and political theater than basic competence. The show also returns to the bigger picture of why this race matters so much to the future of the Indiana Republican Party. Rob argues the entire Morales panic is driven by fear that Greg Ballard could qualify for the ballot and give disaffected Republicans a viable third option. He says the mere possibility of a serious third-party challenge has already exposed weakness inside the GOP monopoly and forced party leaders to react in ways they likely would not have if the race were simply Morales versus Beau Bayh. The episode closes with a discussion of Attorney General Todd Rokita joining a lawsuit against the federal government over marijuana reclassification. Rob says the move is especially frustrating because Indiana politicians have long blamed federal law for blocking medical marijuana, only to resist when the federal government moves toward recognizing medical use. He argues the issue should be between patients and doctors, especially for people dealing with serious pain, and says Rokita’s position protects the current system while limiting options for Hoosiers who need relief. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

5/28/26 - Braun's Property Tax Fib, Rogan Rips Trump's IRS Deal, Gingrich regrets Impeachment

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show opens with Rob arguing that Indiana’s property tax system is becoming as complicated and broken as the income tax system. He reacts to Governor Braun signing a property tax exemption for disabled veterans, saying the issue is not whether veterans deserve support, but whether the system itself is fair. Rob argues that when one group is exempted without forcing local governments to take less money, the burden simply shifts to everyone else. Rob says the larger problem is that Indiana leaders keep applying political Band-Aids instead of addressing whether property taxes should exist at all. He points out that homeowners are taxed on something they are not monetizing, often because someone else sold a nearby home for more money. He also warns that if lawmakers start exempting more groups, such as people over 65 or people who have paid off their mortgages, the cost will fall even harder on the remaining taxpayers unless local government spending is actually reduced. The show also takes aim at Braun’s handling of the issue, with Rob saying the governor does not seem genuinely committed to meaningful property tax reform. Rob argues Braun is trying to check boxes by offering targeted relief to certain groups rather than taking on schools, cities, towns, and counties that continue spending heavily. He says the only real solution is forcing local government reform, limiting referendums, and stopping the assessment system from driving bills higher year after year. Another segment focuses on Indianapolis City-County Councilor Jesse Brown and his IndyStar column urging Democrats to reject Beau Bayh. Rob says he disagrees with Brown politically but respects him as one of the few honest voices in city government willing to call out both parties. Rob also agrees with Brown’s broader point that regular people are being squeezed by a system that benefits the wealthy and politically connected, whether through the tax code, wars, utility bills, or AI data center deals. The episode closes with Rob arguing that both parties are failing regular people, even if they arrive there from different ideological directions. He says Brown is right that the wealthy and connected often shape government to benefit themselves, while ordinary taxpayers pay the bill. But when it comes to the Secretary of State race, Rob says Democrats are still likely to choose Beau Bayh because he gives them the strongest chance to win statewide after years of losses, especially if Republicans remain damaged by the Diego Morales scandal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]