Bauer says he won't resign, urges Democratic unity - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

House Minority Leader Patrick Bauer says he won't resign and believes Democrats will be making a mistake if they try to oust him before the November election.

Some Indiana House Democrats who are unhappy with Bauer's decisions are meeting in Lafayette to consider whether they need new leadership to carry them through the November elections.

Bauer said Wednesday he won't step aside and calls the Lafayette meeting illegal.

Democrats have cited their poor showing in the 2010 elections as the reason for Bauer's potential ouster. The party lost control of the House of Representatives and is outnumbered by House Republicans 60-40. 

Democrats unhappy over how Bauer is handling campaign fundraising and spending fear losing more ground.

Democrats struggled earlier this year to block right-to-work legislation because of their greatly diminished numbers. Bauer led Democrats on a walk-out in the past two sessions over the Right to Work legislation.  That ended up passing despite those protests. 

House Republicans also redrew the state's 100 House districts to their advantage for this year's elections.

Bauer held a Statehouse news conference Wednesday amid reports the Democrats would meet Thursday and vote to remove him.

"I think they're frustrated, some of them, because it's tough," Bauer said of fellow Democrats. "It's a tough election. They're tougher districts. But you know what" It's the Republicans that did that and if they're going to throw me as fodder to think that they'll be feeding on my carcass, instead of going after them, they're mistaken."

Bauer acknowledges the frustration of being in the minority in the House, but claimed Wednesday that many of the attacks on him are personal. He said now is a time for unity. "It's so destructive. This thing is destructive. It doesn't need to take place. They're creating the problem and then pointing to me."

The Democrats would need 21 votes Thursday, a simple majority, to replace Bauer.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.