5/21/26 - Statehouse Happenings

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]

5/28/26 - Statehouse Happenings

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5/27/26 - Diego unloads on Elliott, Elina Kupce Mystery (kinda) Solved, Ball State Teach Settlement

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show continues the fight over Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales, with Rob arguing the Republican Party is finally imploding over a scandal it ignored for years. He says party leaders are not abandoning Morales because they suddenly care about ethics, but because they believe he will lose the office if he remains the nominee. Rob argues Morales should fight back, expose the people who enabled him, and refuse to quietly disappear for the benefit of the same Republican power structure that protected him. A major focus is Elina Kupce, the former deputy chief of staff in Morales’ office who reportedly was not a U.S. citizen. Rob says the issue is especially serious because the Secretary of State oversees elections, businesses, and sensitive information tied to millions of Hoosiers. He notes that Morales finally addressed the controversy in a letter to delegates, but did not appear to deny that Kupce was a noncitizen, while Treasurer Daniel Elliott has gone further by claiming she was illegally in the country. Rob also criticizes Elliott, Todd Rokita, Jim Banks, Mike Braun, Micah Beckwith, and other Republicans for acting concerned now after years of silence. He says if they truly believe Morales has done something serious enough to resign, they should be calling for criminal and ethics investigations, not just trying to push him off the ballot. Rob argues the party does not want the full truth exposed because it could implicate the broader Republican network that funded, protected, and benefited from Morales. The show also steps back into a broader discussion about what the Republican Party has become. Rob reflects on once seeing the GOP as a place for free thought, low taxes, accountability, and policing its own, but says that has been replaced by Trump loyalty as the main standard. He points to Morales using his loyalty to Trump as a defense and argues the party now often excuses bad behavior as long as someone is aligned with the right political faction. The episode closes with Rob discussing Ken Paxton winning the Republican Senate runoff in Texas, despite years of serious ethical and legal controversies. Rob compares the reaction to Paxton with the Morales situation, saying Republicans are increasingly willing to celebrate deeply flawed candidates if they have Trump’s support. He warns that while Trump’s endorsement can still dominate Republican primaries, candidates like Paxton may become major liabilities in general elections when voters outside the party base start paying attention. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

5/26/26 - Mike Braun won't criticize Diego, Indiana's affordability fib, Trump's Iran Confusion

Today’s episode of The Rob Kendall Show focuses heavily on Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales and the Republican Party’s attempt to distance itself from him before the state convention. Rob argues party leaders are not interested in real accountability, but instead want Morales and his scandals to quietly disappear before they cost Republicans the office in November. He points to years of ignored questions about the India trip, no-bid contracts, the $90,000 vehicle, family hires, and Morales’ connections to questionable figures as proof that the party knew exactly what it was dealing with. Rob also criticizes Governor Mike Braun for refusing to take a position on Morales, despite the mounting scandals and recent reporting about former deputy chief of staff Elena Copsey. He argues Braun is treating the race like a normal convention fight, when the issue is really about whether a statewide officeholder who oversees elections and business records has abused public trust. Rob says Braun’s silence is about political self-preservation, shared donors, and avoiding anything that could implicate the broader Republican power structure. A major part of the show breaks down the sudden push behind Max Engling as the Republican alternative to Morales. Rob argues the move is less about finding the most qualified person and more about Jim Banks and Todd Rokita trying to increase their control inside the Indiana Republican Party. He questions why party leaders did not rally behind David Shelton, who actually has election experience, and instead moved toward someone closely tied to Banks after years of standing by Morales. The show also turns to Indiana’s suspended gas taxes, with Rob arguing the pause proves taxes make everyday life more expensive. While he credits Braun for suspending the sales and excise taxes on gas, Rob says the move only happened because voters are furious about high gas prices and because those prices are hurting Trump politically. He warns that if state leaders truly believed the gas taxes were wrong, they would work to eliminate them permanently instead of temporarily suspending them when people are paying attention. The episode closes with a sharp critique of Trump’s handling of the Iran conflict and the confusion around a possible deal. Rob says Trump created unnecessary chaos by suggesting a deal was close without clearly explaining what was in it, leading even supporters like Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz, and Roger Wicker to raise concerns. He argues the administration needs a clear outcome that stops Iran’s nuclear ambitions and support for terrorism, and says Trump’s public messaging has made an already difficult foreign policy situation even more unstable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]