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Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said explicitly he will not make a bid for the U.S. Senate in 2024, quashing rumors that he would seek federal office after his gubernatorial term ends next year.
“I’ve closed the door. I’m too busy,” Holcomb, 55, told the Indiana Capital Chronicle on Friday.
Last week, the outgoing governor appeared to say in an op-ed that he will not run for the open U.S. Senate seat—or any other office—in the next election cycle. The announcement likely makes Third District Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Banks a lock for the GOP nomination.
U.S. Sen. Mike Braun is giving up his seat to run for governor in 2024.
“I tried to make that clear—maybe I buried the lead,” Holcomb said about a Senate run. “I’ve had a lot of people contact me lately, and it was just taking up time. But out of respect to them, I thought things through. But we’ve got a lot of good news in the pipeline here for Indiana, and that’s going to require my attention, and what I signed up to do—and I enjoy doing it. So that’s where I’m at.”
He hasn’t ruled out the possibility for a bid after 2024, however.
“You never know,” Holcomb said. “But right now, I’m worried about the job that I’ve got. Not the next one.”
Still no endorsement for governor
Holcomb additionally said he’ll continue to hold off an endorsement in the GOP contest to replace him, saying he hasn’t “decided yet” on the 2024 gubernatorial primary race.
“That’s not to say that I won’t at some point,” he said. “I’m under no timeline myself, and that would be the only timeline I’d hold myself to, as my own. But I’ll give everyone the space that they need to define their candidacy and share who they are, share their plans.”
Holcomb previously told reporters he’d dive into the primary election, and give an endorsement, following the adjournment of the 2023 legislative session. He’s since danced around any endorsements, though.
“We need people who will turn the cards face up, be very transparent about—not just what they’re for—but what they’ll do, and how they’ll do it,” he said. “So, having a plan in hand, and then acting on it, and then listening and learning. … I don’t want to be egocentric about this, but there are probably three good suggestions for any job. … plan, act, and then listen and learn from your mistakes or where you came up short, and adjust. That’s what I think’s been lacking on the federal front.”
“Look, I’m not running, but I do need partners—and not just me, the 49 other governors of both parties—need partners who will focus on the big items of the day that are anchors right now. And the same would hold true for anyone running for governor in Indiana, or the country of any state. And so they need the freedom and the space to be able to share substantively—not just filling out a survey—but here’s what we want to do. And I’ve tried to do that,” he continued. “I’m not asking anything of anyone that I haven’t asked of myself. I’ve tried to say we need to take this to the next level, but that requires you to actually have plans like trail program plans and broadband internet plans. And so that’s what I’ll be looking forward to. As those get clearer, my mind will get clearer, too, and discerning what I want to do”
Holcomb cannot run for a third successive term under Indiana law.
Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Braun and Fort Wayne businessman Eric Doden are all running in the Republican primary for governor. All three contenders have deep pockets, promising an expensive primary race.
On the Democrat side, former Superintendent of Education Jennifer McCormick has jumped into the race. Donald Rainwater will also run again for governor as a Libertarian candidate.
New land conservation project
Also on Friday, Holcomb announced a 570-acre undisturbed piece of Indiana forestland located west of Greencastle in Putnam County will be permanently protected to support important wildlife and plants and provide opportunities for outdoor recreation.
“When I think about this land, I couldn’t be more thrilled we’re preserving the natural wonders of Hoosier landscapes like these,” Holcomb said. “We are preserving land not just for today, but for generations of future Hoosiers to enjoy, protecting habitats and promoting quality of life.”
The Next Level Conservation Trust provided over $3.1 million toward the land acquisition, representing 75% of the purchase price, while the Central Indiana Land Trust, Inc. raised more than $1 million from private donors. The total purchase price was $4.125 million.
The Trust—a public-private partnership administered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources—seeks to preserve and enhance Indiana’s natural environment by acquiring property that has “outstanding natural features and habitats, historical and archeological significance, and/or provides areas for conservation, outdoor recreation or the restoration of native biological diversity,” according to state officials.
Funding for the Trust comes from the American Rescue Plan and is appropriated by the Indiana General Assembly. Earlier this year, lawmakers committed an additional $10 million to land conservation through the President Benjamin Harrison Conservation Trust.
The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, not-for-profit news organization that covers state government, policy and elections.
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Just read about Banks. Sounds like an absolute nightmare conservative.
He’s yet another Hoosier politician more interested in ideological purity and being a bomb thrower than actually accomplishing anything.
When you cannot find time to show up for the raising the debt ceiling vote on the House floor, I pretty sure we don’t need this type of representation in the Senate.
He can forever say well I didn’t vote for or against the debt ceiling! The optics of his action look suspicious to those who pay attention.
Indiana can and must do better.
I was hoping he would run so he could absolutely get throttled in the primary.
Yes, let’s celebrate the unseriousness and purity cleansing stupidity of the Republican primary in Indiana. Because countries like China and Russia absolutely enjoy that we spend more time fighting each other … than fighting our common enemies.
Todd Young, who I’m rather lukewarm on, can at least point to the CHIPS act. What’s Mike Braun done, other than realize he’s over his head in elected office?
What’s Jim Banks done in the House to prove that he’s a worthy senator?
Curious where Todd Young found a loophole in the US Constitution to throw hundreds of billion at the chip industry.
Deregulation would have accomplished the same goal, but lobbyist money isn’t as good if you don’t throw billions of other people money at an industry!
I am pretty sure he had Mitch’s blessing, he wouldn’t exist if it was not for McConnell.
Steve, I think your reading of the Constitution is about as bad as Alito or Thomas.
But go ahead and explain how the Chips Act is unconstitutional, and make sure you quote either the text or the cases.
Senator Jim Banks us a bridge too far into a parallel universe.
Banks voted against certifying the election of Biden as president, even though there was no valid basis other an ideological belief in Donald Trump’s big lie that the election had been stolen (it wasn’t). After that, it matters not what else Bank says or does as he lost whatever credibility he might have had (which wasn’t much to begin with).
Another nightmare for Indiana. Boy we have come a long way from Mitch Daniels and Dick Lugar. Two men of integrity who actually cared about our democracy.
Unfortunately, neither one much cared about maintaining the Constitutional Republic!
Steve R., as remarkable as our Constitution is conceptually, it is frankly a poorly written document that constantly requires interpretation by the different branches of government. It appears, by your comment, that you think Daniels and Lugar failed to uphold the Constitution when in fact your interpretation of it what the document says is simply different from those of the former elected officials. In fact, the commitment to Constitutional principles by Daniels and Lugar far exceeded the commitment shown by ex-president Trump, who posed (and continues to pose) a far greater danger to our Constitutional Republic. In my opinion, the same concern exists with Congressman Banks as well.
The quality of Republican candidates is proof the Republican Party is rotten at its core. Morales and Banks being prime examples of unqualified Republican office holders.
Holcomb a true RINO would get beat 6 ways from Sunday. True conservatives are a unicorn and Braun with his business background is probably as good as any
Braun knows nothing about governing nor leading.
He’s just a lobbyist parrot
In running for the Senate six years ago, Braun claimed his company sold only products that were “Made in America.” He would have gotten away with that assertion if a TV station had not captured video of boxes in his warehouse stamped with “Made in China.” Seems to me he is as good at lying as any other.
That time when statewide Republicans are poised to tell their female LG–again–for the 3rd time in a row–that she isn’t good enough to be governor.
The governor can’t bring himself to endorse his Lieutenant Governor. So interesting. She was good enough to pull female votes to the ticket, but not good enough to run the state?
Which forces her to swerve uncontrollably far right, to get their approval.
Sad.