Indiana gubernatorial race heats up as two Republicans announce candidacy

 

INDIANA-- Monday, U.S. Senator Mike Braun and Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch officially launched their gubernatorial campaigns.

Sitting Governor Eric Holcomb's term limit is up, so the race to find his replacement is wide open.

After the midterm elections last month, the Hoosier state is looking pretty red, according to Associate Professor of Political Science at Ball State University, Chad Kinsella.

"It's going to be an open seat, so that leaves a lot of opportunity," he said.

Braun is promising to tackle issues like the high cost of healthcare and strengthening Indiana's workforce.

"When you look at the issues that I think are important to most Americans, most Hoosiers, I'm going to weigh in on them," Braun said. "And I'm going to do it in a way that is entrepreneurial and will maybe push the envelope a little bit, and, make sure we keep the budget balanced."

Kinsella said his experience in statewide races gives him an early advantage.

 "Definitely to the right in the senate," Kinsella said. "He's introduced bills and done some things that would suggest that might help him with that republican base. He's got the experience that he's won a statewide race, both in the primary and the general, so he's going to be a formidable opponent for anyone in that race."  

Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch is promising to grow Indiana's economy, invest in education, and strengthen families.

"I truly understand and can relate to what Hoosiers need and want," Crouch said. "I have the leadership and the experience to act on what our state needs to be successful. And we have accomplished so much over the past 17 years."

Kinsella said she faces the challenge of making an impression.

"There's going to be a lot of people who may not know who she is or anything about her," he said. "So she's going to have to reintroduce herself really to the populous. In particular, it's going to be critical that she reintroduce herself to the republican primary voter and find some ways to stand out."

Another contender in the race is conservative businessman Eric Doden, former president of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.

He supports projects like the Indiana Main Street Initiative, zero-cost adoptions, and the Teacher Investment Program.

With Holcomb, who is relatively popular in Indiana politics according to Kinsella, leaving office, the next gubernatorial election will mean a big change for the Hoosier state.

"If you really think about state government and local government, they have a much bigger effect than what the president or what congress has on a daily basis," Kinsella said.

Kinsella predicts there will be more announcing their own campaigns for governor. On the Democratic side, he said it's likely to see Jennifer McCormick run for the seat.

She used to serve as the superintendent of public instruction for the state, where she ran and won as a Republican.