INDIANAPOLIS -- Secretary of State Todd Rokita is taking heat over a link to his campaign Web site included in a publicly-funded publication.

Last week, the Republican declared his candidacy for Congress in the 4th District of West Central Indiana being vacated by longtime Rep. Steve Buyer.

Shortly after, his monthly Rokita Report, a state-paid publication highlighting the activities of the Secretary of State's office, included a note encouraging people to visit his campaign's Facebook.com fan page, 6News' Norman Cox reported.

State Democrats said they believe Rokita is misusing the publication, which is paid for with taxpayer money.

"I don't know if it's breaking the law, but it's sure skirting the line between using official state property for campaign purposes," said Indiana Democratic Chairman Dan Parker. "I think that it raises a serious issue that probably the state Inspector General is going to have to take a look at."

But Rokita spokesman Jim Gavin said the intention was just the opposite. He said Rokita wanted to direct supporters online so they wouldn't call the Secretary of State's office and take up the time of taxpayer-paid employees.

"We completely understand that there needs to be that kind of separation between the official duties of the office and anything else that might be going on," Gavin said. "It was not done as any promotion for anything."

Inspector General Dave Thomas told 6News he couldn't comment on the Rokita situation specifically, but referred Cox to the rule covering the issue.

"A state officer, employee or special state appointee shall not make use of state materials, funds, property, personnel, facilities or equipment for any purpose other than for official state business unless the use is expressly permitted by a general written agency, departmental or institutional policy or regulation," the rule states.

Gavin said there is an office rule that communications misdirected to the agency will be directed to the intended recipient if it can be done with a minimal use of public resources.

Rokita can't seek re-election as secretary of state this year because of term limits. The primary is May 4.