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Request a DemoAnne Hathaway chips away at Hoosier gender barriers
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana became a state 207 years ago. All of our governors and U.S. senators have been white guys. So have all our House speakers, Senate presidents, House Ways & Means and Senate Finance and Appropriation committee chairs.
In the 1932 Democrat New Deal election wave, Virginia E. Jenckes of Terre Haute became the first Hoosier woman elected to Congress, serving three terms. In 1983, Virginia Dill McCarty was the first female to run for governor, six years after she was the first of her gender to serve as a U.S. District Attorney. A year later, Democrat Ann DeLaney became the first woman nominated for lieutenant governor in a race she would lose. Nine years hence, DeLaney became the first female to chair one of our two major political parties.
In 2003, Gov. Joe Kernan named Democrat Kathy Davis as the first female lieutenant governor. In 2008, Democrat Jill Long Thompson was the first woman to win a gubernatorial nomination, ultimately losing to Gov. Mitch Daniels. Six years later, Gov. Mike Pence named Associate Justice Loretta Rush to become the first of her gender to serve as chief justice of the Indiana Supreme Court.
Gradually, the gender barriers are bending and breaking, though Indiana is one of 18 states never to have elected a woman as governor. This means that for more than two centuries, half of our population has been politically fenced away from true power. In next May’s gubernatorial primaries, Democrat Jennifer McCormick is expected to be nominated, while Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch is one of five Republicans expected to qualify for the ballot.
Last August, Republican political operative Anne Hathaway’s phone lit up with a call from Gov. Eric Holcomb. Nearly a quarter-century before, Hathaway had recruited the future governor to run for an Indiana House seat in the only race he lost.
With the resignation of Indiana Republican Chairman Kyle Hupfer in hand, Holcomb asked Hathaway to become the first female to lead the GOP. For the past 15 years, Hathaway had led the Lugar Series of Public Excellence, an organization inspired by U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar and was subsequently created by Teresa Lubbers and Judy Singleton to develop a gender bench for the GOP. Since its inception 34 years ago, more than 85% of Lugar Series’ graduates have significantly increased the level of women who participate in government and politics. Six years ago, Indiana Democrats launched the Hoosier Women Forward organization with the same mission as the Lugar Series.
“I encourage women every day to take a risk, be willing to lose, go out of their comfort zones and run for office or serve on a board or commission,” said Hathaway as she recounted the call from Holcomb during an exclusive Howey Politics/State Affairs interview. “I couldn’t continue to do that unless I was willing to do that myself, willing to take the risk, willing to lead by example.
“When the call came for me, I jumped,” Hathaway said. “Yeah, I’m in. Let’s go.”
Hathaway’s roots are in the tiny Illinois town of Galva just north of Peoria. After graduating from high school (her guidance counselor advised her she couldn’t make a career in politics, calling it a “hobby”), and then from the University of Illinois, she decided to spend a year in Washington where she began as a typist at the Department of Treasury.
Following Hathaway’s resume is a lesson in stewardship and power. At Treasury, she garnered the attention of a legendary DC operative — Secretary James A. Baker — which led to jobs with Vice President Dan Quayle, and his wife Marilyn. Along the way, she would work with Lugar and U.S. Sen. Dan Coats.
“Sen. Lugar would be more excited about me being state chair than I am just because,” Hathaway said toward the end of our 45-minute conversation.
Earlier on the day of this interview, Holcomb had appointed Elise Nieshalla as the new state comptroller. During her first three months as state chair, Hathaway presided over Senate District 36 caucus which elected Cyndi Carrasco to fill the seat of deceased Sen. Jack Sandlin. And there is U.S. Rep. Erin Houchin, all alums of the Lugar Series.
“It’s all part of the process and it’s a validation that we were doing the right thing,” Hathaway said of the Lugar Series.
She now helms the party at (or nearing) its historic apex. The Indiana GOP holds all the state constitutional offices, nine of 11 congressional seats, maintains General Assembly super majorities, more than 90% of county offices, and as of the municipal elections earlier this month, 76 mayors. If a Republican is elected governor in 11 months, it will increase its historic dominance to five consecutive terms.
Hathaway will lead the party through the five-way gubernatorial primary. Following next June’s Indiana Republican Convention, she will head to Milwaukee, where Republican National Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel tabbed her to head its Arrangements Committee.
“I push women every day to take risks, understand that they don’t need to know everything about everything, and to engage and lead,” Hathaway said. “I try to be a good listener and hear what I am listening to. I think I’m a problem solver. I’m a good team builder. I’m focused not on my success, but making success for people, building leaders. This is the same opportunity.”
Perhaps there’s a young Hoosier girl who will read this, and aspire to lead our great state.
Brian Howey is senior writer and columnist for Howey Politics Indiana/State Affairs. Find Howey on Facebook and X @hwypol.
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How McCormick, Braun view abortion, taxes and other key issues
A Democrat-turned-Republican and Republican-turned-Democrat will soon face off in the race to become Indiana’s next governor.
Sen. Mike Braun, who voted as a Democrat prior to 2012, captured the Republican nomination in Tuesday’s primary. Jennifer McCormick, formerly a Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction, will represent the Democrats.
Voters will decide the state’s next chief executive in November.
A State Affairs analysis of the candidates’ campaign platforms and public statements found key differences — and a few similarities — in their planned approaches to a variety of issues impacting Hoosier voters.
Here is how they match up.
Abortion
Braun: As a senator, Braun has long supported abortion restrictions.
In 2020, he called for the Supreme Court to re-examine Roe v. Wade.
In 2023, he proposed federal legislation that would have required parental notification before any unemancipated minor could seek an abortion. He said at the time: “Hoosiers put their trust in me to stand up for the unborn, and that’s what I’ve been proud to do every day in the Senate.”
He has since signaled support for the state’s abortion ban. His platform reads: “State lawmakers must work to ensure the gains we have made to protect life are secured and strengthened.”
McCormick: In a Tuesday interview with State Affairs, McCormick said her candidacy represented a referendum on reproductive rights.
“I’m going to fight to restore those rights under any authority I can, working in a bipartisan fashion, using our committees, board and our agencies. I also know, too, what everybody’s fear is: that they’re [Republicans] not going to restore those rights and will take [restrictions] further.”
From her platform: “Indiana’s Republican-led extreme abortion ban has taken away the right of women to make deeply personal decisions regarding their own health care.”
Marijuana
Braun: At a March 26 Republican primary debate, Braun suggested an openness to legalizing medicinal marijuana.
“It’s gonna hit all of us. I’m gonna listen to law enforcement — they have to put up with the brunt of it,” he said. “Medical marijuana is where I think the case is best made that maybe something needs to change. But I’ll take my cue from law enforcement there as well. … I hear a lot of input where [medical marijuana is] helpful, and I think that you need to listen and see what makes sense.”
McCormick: The Democrat’s platform also addresses medical marijuana legalization, while speculating on possible recreational use.
“We will fight for the legalization of medical marijuana as a source of state revenue established on a well-regulated marketplace and monitored by a Cannabis Task Force in order to study the issues, opportunities and potential obstructions associated with recreational marijuana legalization.”
McCormick said she would also support expunging low-level marijuana-related convictions.
Taxes
Braun: At a March 19 National Federation of Independent Business forum, Braun said the state’s property tax system “went out of whack because it couldn’t respond to inflation like we’ve never seen before.”
“The way you finance any lower taxes would be to bank on the government being run more efficiently,” he said.
His platform also calls for government spending cuts to finance lower taxes: “Reducing the size of government is the key to cutting taxes, and Mike Braun will work through every state agency to find ways to save money while delivering high-quality services to taxpayers.”
McCormick: McCormick also spoke about taxes at the March 19 forum.
“I agree with a revamp of our taxing system,” she said. “But also it’s about not just how we’re getting our revenue, it’s about our expenditures. Yes, we need to fix our gas tax. Yes, we need to look at the income tax. But here’s the thing: There are hidden taxes we’re not having a conversation about.”
Her platform also references the possibility of combining state agencies as a way to save money.
Education
Braun: In his platform, Braun supports broadening school choice and parental rights.
“As a former school board member, Mike Braun knows parents are the primary stakeholders in their children’s education and every family, regardless of income or zip code, should be able to enroll in a school of their choice and pursue a curriculum that prepares them for a career, college or the military,” the platform reads.
Braun also pledged to ensure critical race theory and discussions about gender are banned in public schools.
McCormick: Education is one of McCormick’s primary issues, according to her platform.
She calls for the elimination of statewide testing, increased early childhood reading and child care options and a minimum base salary of $60,000 for all K-12 teachers.
McCormick also addresses the state’s school choice movement.
“We will call for a pause in the expansion of school privatization efforts while requiring fiscal and academic accountability and transparency for all of Indiana schools that receive public tax dollars,” her platform reads.
U.S.-Mexico border
Braun: Braun’s television ads have touched on border security, and his platform calls for increased focus on the area.
“Joe Biden and the left have created a humanitarian and national security crisis on our southern border,” the platform reads. “As governor, Mike will continue to support and enact the America First policies that were working. Otherwise, every town will become a border town.”
McCormick: McCormick’s border-related plans are more focused on facilitating legal immigration.
“We will work with local, state and federal officials in supporting an immigrant system that creates a safe, timely, orderly and humane pathway for those seeking legal immigration while keeping our communities and those responsible for border security safe,” her platform reads.
Contact Rory Appleton on X at @roryehappleton or email him at [email protected].
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