Romney Indiana co-chair could decide Santorum fate

• Reprints

Indiana Election Commission chairman Dan Dumezich (right) speaks during a public hearing on Lake County redistricting maps at Purdue University Calumet in Hammond, Ind. Friday November 18, 2011. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

INDIANAPOLIS — Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney’s Indiana co-chairman could decide whether opponent Rick Santorum makes it onto the state’s May primary ballot.

Dan Dumezich is guiding Romney’s effort to win Indiana. He also chairs the Indiana Election Commission, which considers challenges to candidates’ ballot access. Santorum is eight signatures shy of the 500 needed from Indiana’s 7th District.

Five voters filed challenges to Santorum’s candidacy Monday. The four-member, bipartisan Election Commission then would have to make a decision by March 1.

Dumezich says he has no plans to recuse himself from a vote if Santorum’s access is challenged.

“In my mind I can always maintain my objectivity,” he said, adding that the election commission tends to err on the side of ballot access when it hears challenges.

Santorum supporter state Sen. Mike Delph says he’s confident Dumezich will be fair and that Santorum’s name will be on the May ballot.

“I know and believe him to be a man of integrity, and I know he will do the right thing,” Delph said.

Voters have until the end of the week to file challenges to candidates they believe should not be on the ballot. Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Wallace came up 14 signatures short in the 7th District, but Indiana Election Division co-director Brad King said the only challenges filed so far were against Santorum.

Statewide candidates had to collect 500 signatures from registered voters in each of the state’s nine congressional districts in order to qualify for the ballot.