Indiana Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb talks about being named to replace Gov. Mike Pence as the Republican candidate for governor following his withdrawal to become Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate as Rep. Susan Brooks, right, R-Ind., and Jeff Cardwell, left, chairman of the Indiana Republican Party, look on during an announcement in Indianapolis, Tuesday, July 26, 2016. However, our partners at the Indianapolis Star report there might be federal limitations on the $7.4 million in Pence’s campaign funds, with the majority of that unavailable for Holcomb to use.
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The state GOP’s 22-member central committee met privately Tuesday and chose Holcomb over two members of Congress vying for the job – Rep. Susan Brooks and Rep. Todd Rokita.
The next big decision will be Holcomb’s selection of a lieutenant governor running mate, which is set to be formally approved by the Republican state committee on Monday.
Holcomb later clarified that he didn’t intend to suggest that other Republicans wouldn’t get support from Pence if they were the nominee.
Yet he did go on to address the topic.
Holcomb insists his focus is on economic development issues.
Holcomb and his wife, Janet, live on the northwest side of Indianapolis.
“It is such an honor to join to your family and welcome you to Cleveland”, Pence said.
Republican leaders also had to consider Holcomb’s record of no election wins.
All of that may be true, but the fact is that he was the one candidate before the Republican State Committee who didn’t offer the GOP a chance for a fresh start.
Pence’s governorship has been a turbulent one that has both alienated and energized significant pockets of Hoosier voters.
They now have a system: When they campaign together, Pence introduces Trump enthusiastically as the modern-day equivalent of 1980s Republican President Ronald Reagan and speaks of himself as the son of a combat veteran and the father of a U.S. Marine. “We can not allow our state to slip and drift and go backwards to those days of debt”, Holcomb said at a news conference in Indianapolis shortly after his selection was made.
“We have accomplished a great deal in the past 12 years – and I’ve not only had a front row seat, I’ve been at the table helping Governor Mitch Daniels and Governor Mike Pence build and grow our state”.
The Republican candidate picked to replace Indiana Gov. Mike Pence on the November ballot says the state is heading in the right direction and he wants to continue with those policies.
“I especially want to congratulate my friend Eric Holcomb on his nomination today”. “The guy didn’t recognize me, but he knew Eric”. He now makes support of civil rights protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity a prominent part of his campaign following last year’s national backlash over the state’s religious objections law signed by Pence.
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It was Holcomb who pushed Daniels, a policy wonk, to travel to small towns and into popular eateries, like the Cone Palace in Kokomo, said Howard County Republican Chairman Craig Dunn.
