INDIANAPOLIS – Veteran Rep. Randy Borror, R-Fort Wayne, is leaving the Indiana legislature effective today to run a new Fort Wayne office of a large state lobbying firm.

"This was a brutal decision for me," he said. "For 28 years I have been involved in politics in one way, shape or form. For the last 10 years I have dedicated myself to the state. The next 10 years and beyond I am dedicating to my family."

Borror, 52, has served in the Indiana House of Representatives since 2001, and in the 1980s worked with U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar and the National Republican Senatorial Committee in Washington. He also recently was one of 15 people seeking to replace former U.S. Rep. Mark Souder on the fall ballot.

After this year's legislative session and the recent caucus to replace Souder, Borror said he realized he has been missing important things in his 12-year-old daughter's life.

So when Bose Public Affairs Group LLC presented him an offer, he decided to change gears.

Borror will open a new Fort Wayne office, which will provide consulting services to clients on legislative and political strategies with a special focus on the executive branch and state agencies.

He plans to spend more time in Fort Wayne, but will still work some in Indianapolis.

This year, the legislature passed an ethics reform bill that requires legislators leaving office to wait a year before lobbying. But that provision isn't effective until 2012.

Even though he can legally lobby the legislature, Borror said he won't do so until June 2011 – leaving at least a gap of one session between his legislative service and lobbying his former colleagues.

Borror can and will lobby the executive branch on behalf of clients. He has been close to Gov. Mitch Daniels for years. He carried two major pieces of legislation for the administration – one creating the Indiana Economic Development Corp. and one leasing the Indiana Toll Road to pay for billions of dollars in road projects.

"We're losing a true public servant," Daniels said. "All Randy has ever cared about is building Indiana and leaving a better state behind. That he did."

Republicans have a good chance of taking back the House majority in the fall election, and Borror was primed for a leadership role in the caucus.

He said he will miss "being around a table at midnight with 48 hours to go" on a budget bill or other important legislation.

"It's a great loss for the legislature and people of Allen County," said Rep. Jeff Espich, R-Uniondale. "Randy is obviously a leader here. We have used each other as sounding boards on policy and politics. We're going to miss him. I'm going to miss him."

Espich said that no matter who is picked to replace Borror, that person will lack influence and institutional knowledge.

Resigning immediately means a Republican caucus of precinct committee officials will name someone to fill the remainder of the term and also the spot on the fall election ballot.

Borror said he expects up to 10 people to seek the position because House District 84 is a compact area that tends to vote Republican. It covers primarily the northeast side of Fort Wayne, including much of St. Joseph Township and a handful of precincts in Washington and Adams townships.

Borror said he won't endorse anyone or get involved in the caucus.

Evan Smith of Fort Wayne is running for the seat as a Democrat.

nkelly@jg.net