Swarens Likes Brewer

The Indianapolis Star's opinion editor Tim Swarens sat down with the little-known businessman local Republicans have anointed as their Republican candidate for mayor and gives him his seal of approval. Swarens quick take on Chick Brewer is predictable, if superficial.

He ticks off a checklist of requisites that make Brewer the ideal candidate: a decorated Marine veteran with combat leadership experience from two tours of duty in Iraq; impressive education credentials; management experience with a Fortune 500 company; and downtown small business owner.

The fact that Brewer only recently moved to Indianapolis (a little more than three years ago) doesn't bother Swarens in the least. How could it? Most of the Star's high turnover staff are recent Gannett transplants who lack any historical knowledge of the city. "But really, that should be a minor factor at most for a city that needs to welcome fresh talent and avoid erecting artificial barriers to advancement — even advancement to the mayor’s office," Swarens opines.

Brewer tells Swarens he's "a big fan of Ballard." "And a lot of folks will look at the similarities between the two — Marine officer, unconventional candidate, new face to Indy politics — and conclude that a Brewer administration would be an extension of Ballard’s eight-year tenure in city hall," Swarens said.

Attracting and retaining talent to the city top Brewer's list of goals. Improving public safety, creating jobs, promoting excellence in education and redeveloping neighborhoods is how he intends to accomplish that goal. Swarens admits Brewer was lacking in details on how to achieve that objective, but he tells us his likely Democratic opponent, Joe Hogsett, who has been running for office much longer, didn't offer many details when he recently sat down with him either.

Swarens says Brewer is ready "for the personal, often unfair, attacks that come with running for political office, especially from partisans on the other side," which Ballard didn't handle well. "My perspective on management, on leadership is inclusiveness," Brewer said. "I don’t know how it’s been handled in the past, but I would meet regularly with Democrats and Republicans to ensure that all voices are heard. Good ideas always have a seat at the table."