2020 elections

The week leading up to our monthly conversation with Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski has been one of political comings and goings.

Gary State Senator Eddie Melton made his run for governor official, as did Lafayette resident Joe Mackey, who’ll seek to represent Indiana's 4th Congressional District in Congress.

This week on WBAA’s Ask The Mayor, we find out what Mayor Roswarski would like to see his party’s nominees run on next year, such that Lafayette would benefit.

Also this week, West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis announced he’s dropping out of his only scheduled debate in this year’s election – less than two weeks before it was to happen. We’ll ask Mayor Roswarski, a longtime friend and former Lafayette Police Department colleague of Mayor Dennis, what he thinks of that move.

The first Democrat to announce a challenge to Rep. Jim Baird (R-4th) kicks off his campaign in earnest Friday.

Joe Mackey lives in Lafayette, where he worked in manufacturing for many years. He lost a Democratic primary in 2018 to eventual nominee Tobi Beck.

He says his campaign will talk a lot about education, as well as an issue that helped Democrats pick up many House seats in 2018: health care.

When she leaves office at the end of next year, Indiana education superintendent Jennifer McCormick will become the last person to be elected Indiana’s top educator. The position will be appointed by the governor starting in 2021 – a choice no longer afforded to the voters.

McCormick visited West Lafayette recently and WBAA’s Stan Jastrzebski sat down with her to talk about choices – including how parents choose schools and how she crafts the next step in her career.