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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIt was just a few weeks ago that we used this space to call on the candidates for governor to focus more on the issues impacting state government (like economic development, literacy and workforce development) and less about federal issues (like immigration, China and Donald Trump).
Since then, we’ve seen a bit more discussion about issues facing Hoosiers. But if you rely on ads or emails from candidates, you’re not going to get a good read on some of the key issues.
Fortunately, though, the major candidates in the Republican primary have agreed to appear together in multiple forums that promise more focus on Indiana issues.
Already, IBJ has profiled each of the top five candidates in the GOP primary—U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, former Indiana Secretary of Commerce Brad Chambers, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Fort Wayne businessman Eric Doden and former Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill. You can find those stories at IBJ.com.
In addition, we asked those candidates to write columns in IBJ’s March issue of Forefront (IBJ.com/Forefront) answering the question: What does the state need to do to boost Indiana’s per capita income, which continues to lag the nation’s?
Braun said reducing the cost of health care is a top priority. Chambers talked about his efforts to boost entrepreneurship and invest in quality-of-life projects. Crouch detailed her hopes for eliminating the state income tax. Doden described his Indiana Main Street Initiative, which would focus state money on helping small towns. And Hill wrote about his plans to increase the state’s automatic taxpayer refund and eliminate the income tax for retirees. The columns are informative reads focused on Indiana.
But we urge voters to tune in to some upcoming debates and forums to see the candidates answer an even broader set of questions. Here are some of those options:
◗ The National Federation of Independent Business, Indiana Builders Association and Americans for Prosperity of Indiana are hosting a gubernatorial candidate forum Tuesday in Fishers. The five main GOP candidates plus Democrat Jennifer McCormick and Libertarian Donald Rainwater are participating. IBJ Media’s Gerry Dick, host of Inside INdiana Business, is moderating. The forum is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Wellington Fishers Banquet & Conference Center, 9775 North by Northeast Blvd.
◗ Then on March 26, Braun, Chambers, Crouch and Doden are scheduled to participate in a debate hosted by WXIN-TV Channel 59 and WTTV-TV Channel 4. The 7 p.m. event will be broadcast live on Nexstar affiliates throughout the state.
◗ WISH-TV Channel 8 is hosting a debate with all five Republican candidates at 6:30 p.m. March 27 at the Madam Walker Legacy Center in downtown Indianapolis. The debate will air live on WISH-TV and the WISH-TV Statewide TV News Network as well as stream live on WISHTV.com and the WISH-TV app.
◗ And the Indiana Debate Commission has a debate set for April 23, just a couple of weeks before the May 7 primary election. That 90-minute event starts at 7 p.m. at Hine Hall Auditorium on the IUPUI campus.
Go to IndianaDebateCommission.com to submit a question.•
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