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U.S. Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana said Wednesday that the long list of possible 2024 Republican candidates for governor won’t sway his decision on whether to enter that race.
Braun has talked openly for months about the possibility of trying to replace Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb, who can’t seek reelection because of term limits, rather than running again for the U.S. Senate seat he won in 2018. The two elections will take place at the same time.
Braun said Wednesday at the Capital that he expects to make his decision before the end of the year.
“I took on two sitting congressman and beat a sitting senator,” Braun said of his 2018 campaign. “I don’t care who it is, if I decide to run, I’ll run a campaign similar to what I did back then.”
Braun, the wealthy 68-year-old founder of a national auto parts distribution business, campaigned as a strong supporter of then-President Donald Trump and has often aligned himself closely with U.S. Senate Republicans’ most conservative members while bemoaning the Senate’s deliberative pace. He supported Wednesday’s failed attempt by Florida Sen. Rick Scott to unseat Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, saying in a statement that “Hoosier conservative Republicans are sick and tired of the status quo.”
Braun publicly denounced Holcomb’s decision in March to veto a Republican-backed bill banning transgender girls from competing in Indiana girls sports teams.
He split from fellow Indiana GOP Sen. Todd Young, who won reelection this month, by voting against advancing a bill protecting same-sex and interracial marriages across the country. Braun earlier this year said he misunderstood the question when he told reporters that the U.S. Supreme Court was wrong to legalize interracial marriage nationwide in 1967.
Indiana Democratic chairman Mike Schmuhl criticized Braun’s marriage bill vote for siding with “his party’s extremist wing” against legislation “that’s business-friendly and would create a better future for everyone in the Hoosier State.”
Braun would be heavily favored to win a second Senate term from Republican-dominated Indiana but the open governor’s seat has many possible candidates.
Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, who was Holcomb’s 2016 and 2020 running mate, has raised more than $2 million for an unannounced campaign, as has Fort Wayne businessman Eric Doden since he kicked off a campaign last year.
Republican U.S. Rep. Trey Hollingsworth alluded to a possible run for other political offices when he announced in January that he wouldn’t seek reelection—and some Republicans are hoping that former Gov. Mitch Daniels will seek a Statehouse return after he steps down as Purdue University’s president at the end of December.
Braun fueled his successful 2018 Senate campaign with more than $11 million in personal loans, vaulting from a little-known businessman to wining the Republican primary over then-Reps. Luke Messer and Todd Rokita, then unseating Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly.
Hollingsworth, the son of a wealthy commercial and industrial property developer from Tennessee, spent millions of his own money to win his congressional seat in 2016.
But Braun said Wednesday he wouldn’t spend his own money on a run for governor.
“No, that was a necessity in the primary and that shouldn’t be an issue this time,” Braun said.
Two Republicans with reported interest in running for the Senate seat if Braun doesn’t seek reelection are U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, who unsuccessfully sought a top House Republican position this week, and U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz.
Discussions of possible 2024 statewide Democratic candidates have centered on Donnelly, who is now President Joe Biden’s ambassador to the Vatican, and former state schools superintendent Jennifer McCormick, who won election as a Republican in 2016 but has since switched parties after disputes with Republican Statehouse leaders over education policies.
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Braun is a right wing extremist and a trump wannabe – hopefully the fine people of Indiana will soundly reject him.
Amen!
Hopefully a sensible Republican candidate will emerge in place of Braun and Rokita.
Please come back Mitch!
The GOP (and thus our state) is sorely in need of some pragmatic conservatism and constructive leadership. Sadly that will not be available with the likes of Braun, Rokita or Banks.
+ 1
Both are disgusting.
With recent comments re the effect of abortion on enrollment numbers at Purdue, Mitch Daniels has proven himself an apologist for Republican extremism. The old Mitch is gone, replaced by the pod under his Republican bed, a la “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”. Trust no Republican
Mitch ain’t running.
I’d love to see Indiana Republicans give Suzanne Crouch a chance but sure feels like they’re still not ready for a woman to be governor. Plus, she’s far too much of a RINO for the base… they want someone like Diego Morales, our Secretary of State for the moment.
Braun is a worthless extremist who doesn’t care about Democracy or citizen’s rights. He voted against the Infrastructure, $35 insulin, $2,000 cap on drugs for Seniors and Medicare being able to negotiate prices bills. He also voted against the gun bill making our Nation safer. Braun voted to acquit despicable Trump twice. Yesterday he voted against the marriage bill.
Braun like other Republicans have no plan just hate and criticism.
Democrats = the party of drag queen shows for kids, sex change operations for kids, and ANTIFA riots burning down cities. Spare me your morality lecture
The only difference, Tim R. (below) is that Mark B. lists votes Braun actually cast. He ACTUALLY voted against these things. The stuff you list are just the typical scare tactics of the right. No one Democrat has voted for any of those things. Nice try with you attempt to deflect and change the subject.
Tim R–In the past five decades, 89 members of Republican Administrations have been convicted of crimes committed while in office. In the same time, only ONE (1) Democrat has been convicted. We won’t spare you morality lectures; however, we understand that your values, as they relate to political parties, aren’t aligned with the laws of our republic.
What a picture. Looks like Braun is saying “I love your costume, Wonder Woman.”
Braun is part of the problem, not the solution.