Lunchpail Republicans attack Daniels in new ads

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - When Mitch Daniels first ran for governor in 2004 he wrote a letter to a union leader expressing his belief that there was no need to adopt a right to work law in Indiana. That union is now financing television ads that attack the governor and other Republicans for pursuing right to work legislation.

The TV ads are paid for by a political action committee that calls itself Lunchpail Republicans. It's backed by the International Union of Operating Engineers, a union that supported Mitch Daniels as a candidate in both 2004 and 2008.

The governor sent a letter to one of its leaders in 2004 citing the union's opposition to right to work and writing "I'm in agreement."

"I feel disappointed," says Lunchpail Republican founder David Fagan. "I think he clearly understood the issue well in 2004 when he made the commitment."

Democrats have picked up their cause, accusing the governor being dishonest. On Indiana Week in Review, Democrat Ann DeLaney said of Daniels, "He looked the union right in the eye, shook their hands, and said I won't touch this. That's not a change in position. That's breaking your word."

Daniels says he changed his position on right to work in the last year in part because of the national economy.

"This issue is polarizing the state," says Fagan, "and I think that will have a negative impact economically on this state."

The union says it has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and will also recruit candidates to run against Republican officeholders.