President 2012: Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels Close to a Presidential Decision?

Now, that GOP Rep. Mike Pence has decided against running for the Presidency in 2012 (Pence will likely run for Indiana Governor, since Mitch Daniels is term limited out of running for re-election), Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels says he will make up his mind soon about a possible race for the White House.

“I think I have got to make up my mind fairly soon,” Daniels told The Times Editorial Board Thursday during a visit to Northwest Indiana.

“I don’t think that I’ve waited too long, but I believe I should come to some decision. There are a lot of people waiting and I owe them an answer.

“The country is facing survival-level problems.”

Daniels questions whether any new president could replicate nationwide the successes he’s enjoyed as Indiana governor, upgrading the license branches of the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles or the state prisons of the Indiana Department of Correction.

“I’d love to tell you we could fix (those) the way we fixed the BMV, the way we fixed corrections, but I think I would be kidding you. But in terms of better stewardship of public money, I think (the next president) could make a difference,” Daniels said.

He said the president needs the power of impoundment — refusal to spend all the money the Congress budgets. He said as governor he has used impoundment to cut state spending and avert a billion-dollar deficit that would have taken place if the state had gone ahead with the General Assembly’s spending goals, which were based on overly optimistic tax revenue projections.

Daniels said he is optimistic his goals for school and local government reform will be achieved through new legislation now brewing in the legislature as his term as governor comes to a close next year.

Mitch Daniels would make a formidable candidate against President Obama. His Midwestern roots and political experience, plus accomplishments would play well in the 10 or so key battleground states, including Indiana, Wisconsin, Colorado, Florida and North Carolina.

Would Daniels be able to win the GOP nomination?

Yes, but he must begin NOW to build name identification in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.