Battle For Indiana: Ted Cruz Announces Barrage of Organizers and Ads

Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) greets people during a campaign ral
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

In a final push to win Indiana, Sen. Ted Cruz released a list of 188 Indiana campaign leaders and 55 faith leader endorsements highlighting his Friday statement that the Hoosier State will decide the Republican primary.

The Cruz team touted having “at least one chair in every county across the state of Indiana” as it released the leadership team names.

Cruz and GOP frontrunner Donald Trump have been neck-and-neck in polls as they vie for the state’s 57 Republican delegates in Tuesday’s primary contest. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is campaigning for Cruz while basketball coaching legend Bobby Knight advocates for Trump.

Pence is featured in a new radio ad running in Indiana, entitled “Pence.” It begins: “I see Ted Cruz as a principled conservative who’s dedicated his career to advocating the Reagan agenda and I’m pleased to support him.”

The Cruz campaign is also running two statewide television ads comparing Trump to Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton.

A RealClearPolitics average of several polls gives Trump a 4.1 point advantage over Cruz. Two other recent polls run in contrast to one another, one putting Trump up 15 points over Cruz, another putting Cruz up 16 points over Trump.

Shelly Blankenbaker, Cruz’s grassroots coordinator for the ninth district of Indiana said of the Cruz team in Indiana, “This incredible team has led the grassroots efforts in every corner of the state.”

Ron Johnson, Executive Director of the Indiana Pastors’ Alliance is spreading the message to vote for Cruz, “I’ve let my congregation know of my personal and public endorsement for Ted Cruz, and I have contacted all the pastors I know, encouraging them to join me in supporting Ted Cruz.”

Cathie Humbarger, Vice President of Indiana Right to Life said, “For those of us who have invested our lives in fighting for the civil rights issue of our day, this is our moment. A vote for Ted Cruz is a vote for women and the unborn!”

Cruz’s extensive list of 35 current and former elected officials and 153 county campaign chairs according to the Cruz campaign:

Indiana Leadership Team

Senator Brandt Hershman, Majority Floor Leader

Senator Jeff Raatz

Senator Dennis Kruse

Senator Travis Holdman

Senator Scott Schneider

Representative Matthew Lehman, Majority Floor Leader

Representative Mike Speedy

Representative Dale Devon

Representative Tim Brown, M.D.

Representative Timothy Wesco

Representative Don Lehe

Representative Bob Cherry

Representative Wes Culver

Representative Bob Heaton

Thomas M. Fisher­- Indiana Solicitor General

Cindy Noe­- Former Indiana State Representative

Mayor Joe McGuinness-­ Mayor of Franklin

Russell Willis-­ Madison County GOP Chairman

Brian Baird­- Johnson County Commission and GOP Chairman

Linda Spartz-­ Hamilton County GOP Vice Chairman

William Price­- Boone County Tea Party

Diana Freeman-­ Boone County Tea Party

Joan Billman­- Greencastle Defenders of Liberty

Fred Glynn­- Hamilton County Councilman

Curt Smith­- President of the Indiana Family Institute

Jamey Noel-­ Clark County Sheriff

Michael Nielsen-­ Boone County Sheriff

Pastor Eric Turner

Kurt and Kristin Luidhardt

Alex Azar

Tom Wheeler

Jackie Bennett

Nick Dugan

Joy Pullman

Tim Rushenberg

Indiana County Leadership

Brent Arnold­- Adams County

Jeff Brasseur-­ Allen County

Tug Pierson­- Allen County

John Crawford-­ Allen County

Chris Barnekov­- Allen County

Scott Bardakjy­- Bartholomew County

Sandra Tabert­- Benton County

Jerry Christman-­ Blackford County

Brian Wolf­- Boone County

James Kirkpatrick-­ Boone County

Valerie Swack-­ Boone County

Jackie Rhoton­- Boone County

William Hastings-­ Brown County

Josh Plue­- Carroll County

John Rhoades-­ Cass County

Shelly Blankenbaker-­ Clark County

Monty Snelling­- Clark County

Judith Balzano­- Clay County

Larry Moss-­ Clay County

Julie Plue­- Clinton County

Deb Plue­- Clinton County

R. Whitney Timberlake-­ Crawford County

Aaron Aldred­- Daviess County

Judith Howard­- Dearborn County

Charles Hocker-­ Decatur County

Margaret Jean Johannigman­- Decatur County

John Kruse­- DeKalb County

Tara Lilly­- DeKalb County

Chuck East-­ Delaware County

Angela Engelberth-­ Dubois County

Brent Myers­- Dubois County

Pam Rothi-­ Elkhart County

Jason Woods-­ Fayette County

Joshua Durstine-­ Fayette County

Terri Rumpf­- Floyd County

Kelly Thieneman-­ Floyd County

Jessica Viana­- Floyd County

Deanna Truitt­- Floyd County

Steve Allen­- Fountain County

Ken Brock­- Franklin County

Troy Mikesell-­ Fulton County

Kerry Overton-­ Gibson County

Kevin Schafer­- Gibson County

Michael Jones­- Grant County

Steve Whitlock­- Grant County

William Oricks­- Greene County

Jerel Clanney­- Greene County

James Swick­- Hamilton County

Mary Ann Cole-­ Hamilton County

Mary Ann Parilla-­ Hamilton County

Bryan Fisher­- Hancock County

Wayland Casey Lakes-­ Hancock County

Brad DeVore­- Harrison County

Briana Howe­- Hendricks County

Tim Rushenberg-­ Hendricks County

Gregory Dean Ferguson-­ Hendricks County

Maria Biddle­- Henry County

Karen Heinlein-­ Howard County

Corey Lee Eppard-­ Huntington County

Adrian Ford­- Huntington County

Jpaul Biehl­- Huntington County

Larry Carmichael-­ Jackson County

Angela Barnes­- Jasper County

Cheryl Warran­- Jasper County

David Haines­- Jay County

Dwayne May­- Jefferson County

Eric Jarboe­- Jennings County

Joshua Burrows-­ Johnson County

Troy Tyson­- Johnson County

Brett Bobe­- Knox County

Cody Bobe­- Knox County

Bryant Smith-­ Knox County

Teresa Kay Martin-­ Kosciusko County

Debra Spencer­- Kosciusko County

Ted Westafer­- Kosciusko County

Leon Lehman-­ LaGrange County

Cynthia Binkley-­ LaGrange County

Mike Bennett­- Lake County

Scotty Robertson-­ LaPorte County

Gina Pridemore­- Lawrence County

Arlene Price­- Madison County

Damon Hood-­ Marion County

Christopher Schuman-­ Marion County

Chela Baer­- Marshall County

James Edwards-­ Martin County

Larry Oden­- Miami County

Janis Nye­- Miami County

James Lederle-­ Miami County

Matthew Shute­- Monroe County

Robert Hall­- Monroe County

Ryan Walters-­ Montgomery County

Daniel Elliott­- Morgan County

Tina Turner-­ Morgan County

Bob Phillips­- Morgan County

Deanna Nymeyer-­ Newton County

Sarah Carlson­- Newton County

Neal Johnson­- Noble County

Cheryl Johnson-­ Noble County

Amy Beckett­- Ohio County

Patton Busick-­ Orange County

Chuck Hess­- Owen County

Hannah Brandon-­ Owen County

Bill Webster­- Parke County

Teresa Eubank-­ Perry County

Elijah Parker­- Pike County

Jacob Huseman-­ Porter County

Russell Powell­- Posey County

Levi Messer­- Pulaski County

Seth Amos­- Putnam County

Amy Beckett-­ Randolph County

J.D. Prescott­- Randolph County

Doris Preston­- Randolph County

Patricia Carson-­ Ripley County

Lewis Land­- Rush County

Philip Newhouse-­ Rush County

William Ohstrom-­ Scott County

Gina Lemasters­- Shelby County

Rebecca Tichenor-­ Spencer County

Larry Groves­- Spencer County

Wanda Toler­- Spencer County

Jason Toler­- Spencer County

Robert Wheeler-­ St. Joseph County

Stuart Wolfarth­- St. Joseph County

Leslie Howard­- Redweik­ Starke County

Seirra Bowman­- Steuben County

Don Bowman­- Steuben County

Sherwood Kelley­- Sullivan County

Tim Leigh­- Sullivan County

James Rush-­ Switzerland County

Derrek Staley-­ Tippecanoe County

Jordan Kessler-­ Tippecanoe County

Alan Baumgartner-­ Tipton County

Sherry Eubanks­- Union County

David Elliott Short-­ Vanderburgh County

Russ Pogue­- Vanderburgh County

Tim Ryocum­- Vermillion County

Darian Lindsay-­ Vermillion County

Lowell Eck Jr.­- Vigo County

Lucia Trexler­- Vigo County

Johnny Vaughn-­ Vigo County

Sherry Eubanks­- Union County

Jimmy Starr­- Wabash County

William Crone-­ Warren County

Laura Thompson-­ Warrick County

Sandra Bedan­- Washington County

Marcelle Sams-­ Wayne County

Richard Galloway-­ Wayne County

Judi Sonnigsen­- Wells County

Ed Ferguson­- Wells County

Karen Hall­- White County

Tina Elliott­-Longacre-­ Whitley County

Kimberly Wilcoxson­- Whitley County

Chris Martin-­ Whitley County

Cruz’s list of 55 Indiana clergy and pro-family endorsements include:

Pastor Brent Arnold, The Local Church

Kevin Baird, Field Director, Indiana Pastors’ Alliance

Pastor Peter Baugh, Dayspring Baptist Church

Josh Bertsch, Youth Minister, Trinity Evangelical Church, pro-­life activist

Pastor Daniel Binkley, Senior Pastor, North Manchester Missionary Church

Monica Boyer, President, Indiana Liberty Coalition

Pastor Garry Brackett, Executive Pastor, Grace Assembly of God

Pastor Wendell Brane, Trinity Evangelical Church

Pastor Timothy Bushong, Trinity Evangelical Church

Pastor Jerel Clanney, Victory Baptist Church

Micah Clark, Executive Director, American Family Association of Indiana

Pastor Jim Decamp, Retired Army Chaplain

Pastor Larry Delon, Smyrna Missionary Baptist

Elder Thomas Dettmer, Trinity Evangelical Church

Pastor Bob Dickey, Good Hope Baptist Church

Pastor Ron Garner, Bethel Church

Pastor Lawrence Gember, St. James Lutheran Church

Pastor Ed Groover, Bible Baptist Church

Pastor Curtis Hall, Maranatha Baptist Church

Pastor Kent Harting, Jamesville UME

Cathie Humbarger, Executive Director, Allen County Right to Life, Vice President, Indiana Right to Life

Dr. Ronald Johnson, Executive Director, Indiana Pastors’ Alliance, Senior Pastor, Living Stones Church

Steven Jones, President, Missionary Church Inc.

Pastor John Jordon, First Baptist Church

Minister Gerald Kelley

Pastor Brian Kemp, First Baptist Church Kentland

Debbie Ketron, Director of Government Affairs, Indiana Association of Home Educators

Pastor Johnny Kincaid

David Lantz, Former State Director, Indiana Christian Coalition, author, public speaker

Pastor Eddie Lapina, First Baptist Church of Hammond

Ryan McCann, Director of Operations, Indiana Family Institute

Pastor Donald Meyer, Church of the Nazarene

Pastor Timothy Morbitzer, Victory Christian Fellowship

Pastor Randall Morris, Shadeland Baptist Church

Pastor Scott Mosley, Grace Christian Church of Albion

Elder John Nelson, Trinity Evangelical Church

Pastor John Nichols, Senior Pastor, Victory Independent Baptist Church

Pastor Jason Oxendine, Executive Pastor, Heartland Christian Center

Minister David Parry, Church of God

Evangelist Andrew Phipps, Author and Speaker

Pastor Andy Price, BBB Church

Pastor Russell Reahard, South Pleasant U.M. Church

Pastor Kevin Scott Robertson, Mill Creek Baptist Church

Pastor Anthony Robles, Harvest Time Bible Church

Pastor Jerry Ross, Blessed Hope Baptist Church

Edward Russ, President, Faith Music Missions

Pastor Stephen Russ, Boeke Road Baptist Church

Dr. Peter Scaer, Professor, Concordia Theological Seminary

Pastor Rick Smail, New Life Church

Curt Smith, President, Indiana Family Institute

Pastor Wallace Thornton, Independent Nazarene Church

Eric Turner, Former Speaker Pro Tempore, Indiana House of Representatives, Associate Trainer, Equip

Charles Ware, President, Crossroads Bible College

State Representative Timothy Wesco, Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

Minister Alan Wojtrowiak, Former Pastor, Victory Christian Fellowship

Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana 

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