The Indiana Republican State Committee voted today to fill the gubernatorial ballot vacancy, which was previously held by Governor Mike Pence.
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After a private meeting, the 22-member Indiana Republican state committee announced it had decided Holcomb was best positioned to retain the governor’s office. He dropped that bid a few days before he was appointed lieutenant governor. He said Rokita would have been a great choice for governor, but so is Holcomb. “My economic plan sets our state on a new path forward, one that puts jobs and the middle class first”.
Pence and at least three members of the committee are publicly backing Holcomb.
“Once Pence had endorsed him, I think he became the favorite”, said Paul Helmke, a professor of practice at Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs.
Holcomb, 48, a native of Vincennes and graduate of Hanover College, has spent years getting to know IN politics.
In his comments about the race ahead, Holcomb stated that he will continue to work to move IN forward, just as he believes Pence and former Gov. Mitch Daniels have done over the past 11 years.
Holcomb’s been Pence’s lieutenant governor for less than five months, but he says he’ll be running on Pence’s record, and that of Mitch Daniels, for whom he was deputy chief of staff.
Holcomb is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and a graduate of Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana. Dan Coats, his former boss.
The spot opened up when Pence was selected as Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate.
“As Karen and I embark on a mission to restore strong Republican leadership to our nation, I do so with optimism about the boundless future of IN, and I wholeheartedly endorse Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb to serve as the Republican nominee for Governor of IN in the upcoming election”, Pence said IN a statement.
The Republican State Committee chose Holcomb over 4th District Congressman Todd Rokita, 5th District Congresswoman Susan Brooks and State Senator Jim Tomes, of Posey County.
Unconfirmed reports suggest the final vote was extremely close between Holcomb and Brooks, and three ballots were required before Holcomb reached a majority.
“I love Eric Holcomb”.
“Holcomb is still going to be the favorite in this race”. Susan Brooks and Todd Rokita and state Sen.
But much of the jockeying for the nomination went on last week when the candidates and most committee members were at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
In Terre Haute Monday, Democratic candidate for Governor John Gregg told 24-Hour News 8’s sister station, WTHI-TV, that nothing will change on his side of the race now that Pence is out of it.
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“For too many Hoosier families, wages aren’t keeping up and the good paying jobs we are losing aren’t being replaced”, Gregg says. “Eric Holcomb is just another out-of-touch ideologue who will hurt the middle class and undermine Hoosier values”.
