Democrats Go On The Attack Before Pence's State Of The State Address

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Even while Gov. Mike Pence was still hours away from delivering his fourth State of the State address, the campaign for his Democratic rival John Gregg was attacking.

Gregg campaign manager Tim Henderson says Pence has been a "national embarrassment" for Indiana.

He points to Pence's refusal to offer a position on extending civil rights protections to gay people, and Pence's support for education changes that led to the state's ISTEP test troubles. And he said Pence has failed to properly fund state government agencies in ways that have put vulnerable people at higher risks.

Indiana Republican Party spokesman Robert Vane disputed Henderson's remarks about Pence. He says Democrats are too quick to dismiss the state's 4.4 unemployment rate and $2 billion budget surplus.