Election losers plan futures

Hoosiers hired and fired more than a dozen public servants Tuesday. While the nation scrutinizes Florida's election results, unsuccessful Indiana candidates rest, make future career plans and watch the presidential battle unfold.\n"I'm trying to find out where I can serve the most people," said Republican Congressman David McIntosh, who lost his election bid to incumbent Democrat Gov. Frank O'Bannon.\nHis wife, Ruthie McIntosh, said she was not disappointed.\n"We're proud, we're not embarrassed," she said. \nThe couple said they plan to take a vacation and spend more time with their daughter, Ellie. After the break, McIntosh said he will decide his next career move. He is considering returning to public service, practicing law, helping make a high-tech company successful in Indiana or working on policy. \n"God has a plan for each of our lives and we have to seek to follow His will for what we should be doing," McIntosh said.\nRepublican Randy May, who lost his re-election bid for county council, said he will return to his construction business. \n"I'll be trying to put food on the table," he said. But he said he plans to stay involved with local politics, and might run again in 2002.\nDemocrat Scott Wells defeated May and avoided a Republican sweep in the city council by about 60 votes. But May said Wells' claim that the vote was a mandate was not accurate, because the vote was close and May received more votes than anyone in the rural precincts.\n"It may be what the city people want, but it's not what the rural people want," May said.\nMay said he will emphasize the rights of rural voters at his last two county council meetings, and attend the meetings next year as well.\n"When I see something going on that affects rural people, I will be there to voice my opinion about it," May said.\nHis wife, Suzanne May, said she admires her husband's passion but is not upset that he lost.\n"I really want the Lord's will in our lives and if it's not the Lord's will, than I don't want it," she said.\nDr. Paul Perry will return to his medical practice in Evansville after a vacation, said Chris Maples, a field director for the Perry campaign. Perry lost his bid for Congress in Indiana's eighth district to Republican incumbent John Hostettler. \nCandidates and their campaign workers are keeping an eye on the presidential election, which Maples said hurt Perry.\n"Gore really hurt us in the district," Maples said. "Bush won Monroe County, and that's something that never should have happened ... I can tell you (Perry's loss) wasn't because of Hostettler's groundwork because it is not what it's cracked up to be."\nRegardless of who is the next president and who won and lost local elections, McIntosh said America's democracy will continue without a hitch.\n"The great thing about America is that, in our democracy, the next day we all pitch in, we all help," McIntosh said.