Republican Senator Braun to Make Bid for Indiana Governor in 2024

Laura Litvan
·1 min read
1

(Bloomberg) -- GOP Senator Mike Braun of Indiana said he won’t seek reelection in 2024 and instead will run for governor.

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Braun said at a press event in his home state his gubernatorial bid will center on a platform that includes balancing the state’s budget, addressing the rising costs of health care, and creating a pro-business climate.

“You cannot solve the issues of today with career politicians out east,” Braun, 68, said. “That’s the main reason I decided to come back.”

His decision puts the first-term senator in what’s expected to be a crowded Republican field vying to succeed Governor Eric Holcomb, who can’t run again because of term limits. Indiana Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch also announced her 2024 campaign for governor on Monday.

Braun, who owns an auto parts distribution and logistics business in Jasper, Indiana, won his Senate seat in 2018 after defeating two US Representatives in the Republican primary, Todd Rokita and Luke Messer. He ran in the general election as a political newcomer who would support then-President Donald Trump’s agenda, including Trump’s push for a wall at the US-Mexico border. He defeated one-term incumbent Democratic Senator Joe Donnelly, 51%-47%.

Braun said he would “robustly finish out” the last two years of his term.

Representative Jim Banks, an Indiana Republican, said after Braun’s announcement that he is “strongly considering” running for the Senate seat in 2024.

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