HAMMOND | Downstate Democratic Party politicians are reported viewing Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr.'s run for Lake County party chairman as a gamble not worth taking if McDermott has higher political aspirations.

Political veteran and Lake County Surveyor George Van Til contends it was McDermott's unhappiness with that assessment that resulted in McDermott on Friday resigning as one of two deputy chairmen of the Indiana Democratic State Central Committee.

"His goal is to be governor," Van Til said Monday. "Various district chairs and the state committee believe he doesn't really win anything for his ambition if he wins (the county race) and, if he loses, he hurts his ambition."

Van Til, who is locked in a three-way race with McDermott and Gary Mayor Rudy Clay for county chairman, shrugged off the importance of the state position itself, calling it largely honorary.

According to party rules, the post has lesser responsibilities than the vice chairman, is appointive rather than elected and without the voting power.

Van Til said the best advantage of the job was the access to state leadership. In removing himself, McDermott "took himself away from the table," he said.

On Monday, McDermott again said he resigned the post because his term was up. Party rules dictate the state committee must meet on the third Saturday in March every four years to reorganize.

"I've raised lots of money, not just for Lake County, but across the state," he said.

McDermott acknowledged, however, getting indications from state party Chairman Dan Parker and others that the county race was unwise.

"I've gotten that indication from (Parker), but I don't want to put it on one person because I've gotten that indication from more than just him," he said. "People across the state think I'm making a huge mistake."

McDermott said that was because of the political liability associated with the perceptions that the county position is corrupt and that whoever is Lake County chairman is automatically corrupt.

The assessment that the party chairmanship in Lake County has been corrupt is "absolutely accurate," he said. "But the people across the state love the Lake County chairman in an election year, and once it's over, they forget about us. If there is a strong Lake County chairman, it would be a threat to the rest of the state."

McDermott said other Democrats are not telling him he's unelectable, just that Lake County's image would be used against him.

"If I ran for governor, I'd already have that stigma because I'm mayor of Hammond, and that's a fact of life," he said. "I don't see where being Lake County party chairman would make any difference. They view us all as corrupt. If I could be Lake County chairman, I could change all that, and (the party) would be a cohesive unit, wherever you are from."

That's a view that echoes Van Til, who also has vowed to unify the party across the county.

"Van Til and I are speaking sort of from the same set of notes on this," McDermott said Monday. "We know what's going on."