Tully: Joe Hogsett won't run for mayor of Indy

The blockbuster race for mayor of Indianapolis in 2015 that many political observers have been predicting, with anticipation, will not take place. Joe Hogsett, the high-profile U.S. attorney who has drawn attention for stepping up prosecutions of gang members and corrupt politicians, has decided not to run for mayor.

Sitting over a cup of coffee at a Northside diner Thursday morning, Hogsett told me the job he has now is the job he wants. He pledged to serve in the position through the end of his term, which ends when the Obama administration leaves office in January 2017.

"It truly is the best job I've ever had, and it has been responsible for providing me with enormous personal satisfaction," said Hogsett, who as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Indiana has jurisdiction over 60 of the state's 92 counties. "We have tried to do good things in this office, and I look forward to continuing to do good things."

As long as the president will have him, he said, he intends to stay.

While he acknowledged that he has of late given "considerable" thought to the idea of seeking another position, he ultimately decided, "I cannot in good faith walk away from the responsibility that I have. I really do think the challenges we face in the area of crime and public safety, and not just in Indianapolis, make clear there is still much work (as U.S. attorney) that remains to be done."

This news not only shakes up the 2015 mayor's race but also rules out other speculated Hogsett campaigns — for governor or U.S. Senate in 2016. Yes, it turns out that the man just about everyone assumed was running for something will not run for anything, at least for quite some time.

Had Hogsett entered the race for mayor, many Democrats believe they would have had a solid chance of defeating incumbent Republican Mayor Greg Ballard next year. Without Hogsett, the party lacks a big-name candidate.

State Sen. Ed Delaney has openly discussed interest in the race, and Washington Township Trustee Frank Short, a former City-County councilman, told me Wednesday that he would run for mayor if Hogsett did not.

But without Hogsett, it appears Ballard will enter the race as the front-runner — if he seeks a third term.

Hogsett has expressed deep concern in recent years about problems plaguing Indianapolis, from gun crimes and political misdeeds to poverty and failing schools. He said Thursday that he hopes by making clear he will not run for political office that he can be seen as a nonpartisan, nonpolitical voice calling for more holistic solutions to public safety and a more collaborative spirit toward fighting crime.

"That voice is most credible when it is not being viewed through the partisan lens," he said, adding that, "in the absence of a strong and consistent voice from those in partisan leadership, maybe it's up to us in law enforcement and public safety to join together to offer a vision to make Indianapolis a safer place."

At 57, Hogsett has been one of the more prominent political figures in Indiana for nearly three decades. The father of three was a top aide and adviser to former Gov. Evan Bayh and has served as both the Indiana secretary of state and the state Democratic Party chairman. But following his win in the 1990 race for secretary of state, he lost subsequent bids for the U.S. House and Senate, putting the brakes on what appeared to be a promising future in elected office.

His political stock skyrocketed, though, when President Barack Obama appointed him U.S. attorney in 2010. A dynamic public speaker known as a hard-charger, Hogsett was quickly identified after his federal appointment as a potential candidate for local or state office. But because federal law prohibits U.S. attorneys from taking any steps toward a political campaign, all anyone could do until Thursday was speculate about Hogsett's future.

Now that future is clear.

On Thursday, the Rushville native discussed his hope to make more progress on issues such as violent crime in cities such as Indianapolis and Terre Haute, as well as on political corruption and a host of challenges facing smaller counties throughout his district. He said he would continue "to use the bully pulpit" to draw attention to crucial issues.

"I just feel a moral obligation to complete the job that I began three years ago," he said.

And with that, everything that seemed clear about the 2015 race for mayor clouded up once more.

You can reach me atmatthew.tully@indystar.com or on Twitter: @matthewltully.