And Holcomb pressed his case over the weekend, arguing he had been promised assistance from Pence’s more than $7 million camping fund, which he said was “something no other candidate in this race can boast”.
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Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb will fill in for Pence at the Statehouse on Monday for release of the state’s fiscal year report, which Pence has used in previous years to tout Indiana’s sizeable cash reserves.
But he added that Pence didn’t rule out lending assistance to another candidate if one is selected. That set off a flurry of behind-the-scenes angling from advocates for Holcomb, Brooks and U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita, who are all considered to be contenders for the job.
In an interview with the Associated Press Gregg offered congratulations but said he remained focused on “cleaning up the mess that’s been made” by the “the Pence-Holcomb administration”.
Four candidates entered, but a Republican committee can choose only one to replace Gov. Mike Pence in this year’s gubernatorial race.
Reps. Susan Brooks and Todd Rokita will run for re-election to the House, after all, following the Indiana Republican Party’s decision to nominate Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb to replace Gov. Mike Pence on the Republican ticket for the governor’s race this fall.
Holcomb later clarified that he didn’t intend to suggest that other Republicans wouldn’t get support from Pence if they were the nominee. “There is a clear contrast in this gubernatorial race between the policies that have made in the economic envy of the nation, and the empty rhetoric and failed policies of the Evan Bayh-John Gregg era that bankrupted our state, and Eric Holcomb is well-positioned to highlight those differences”.
“This year. has taken many twists and turns, but I’m ready to answer this next call”, Holcomb said.
“For too many Hoosier families, wages aren’t keeping up and the good paying jobs we are losing aren’t being replaced”, Gregg said.
Holcomb said the only way to move IN forward is by continuing the current path. Eric Holcomb wholeheartedly embraced the failed approach that embarrassed our state, cost us jobs and has left the middle class behind.
When questioned what his plan was to increase his name identification across the state since he has never been elected to an office, Holcomb said he planned to travel the state and put out ads and mailers. “We cannot, cannot – and (this is) the reason I am running – cannot allow our state to slip and drift and go backwards”. He vowed to invest in infrastructure and operate under a balanced budget, citing former Gov. Mitch Daniels and current Gov. Mike Pence as examples.
Holcomb pledged, if elected, to maintain Pence’s focus on economic development, community development and quality state services. “The only way we can continue Indiana’s progress is by joining together”.
It appears that Holcomb won’t be taking a page out of the Daniels handbook by declaring a “truce” on so-called social issues that have divided the state in recent years.
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Christie’s letter to Indiana GOP committee members said the Republican Governors Association would give financial support to whoever the committee picks. “We have a balance right now of protecting our religious liberties while making sure that we’re not discriminating”.
