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Request a DemoRead Gov. Eric Holcomb’s State of the State speech
Gov. Eric Holcomb gave his eighth and final State of the State speech on Tuesday, laying out his agenda for the 2024 legislative session and boasting about his accomplishments during his time in office. Here’s a complete transcript of his prepared remarks. You can also watch the speech here. And you can read State Affairs Pro senior reporter Tom Davies story here.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Madam Chief Justice, Lieutenant Governor, members of the General Assembly, and my fellow Hoosiers. It is indeed my privilege to report to you again for the eighth time on the state of our beloved state.
A year ago, I promised you that I would work harder than ever, to continue to improve the prospects for every person that calls Indiana home. Today, I renew to you that same promise until the ultimate conclusion of my assigned duty.
Together, with those in this chamber, we’ve accomplished a lot.
But there is so much more work ahead.
As a former Navy man, I’m drawn to a motto embraced by Grace Hopper, one of the first female admirals in the United States Navy, and I quote: “A ship in port is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”
In that same spirit, I do not plan to safely stay anchored in port for the next 12 months. After all, standing still is not what we here in Indiana are built for!
So, to frame up our time here tonight and going forward I’d like to talk about something I call “The Indiana Model,” which guides all the work we’ve been doing together to create lasting, generational change, on the very foundation laid by our pioneering predecessors.
Already, it has enabled us to take Indiana to the “Next Level,” as you’ve heard me call it just a few times. That’s because The Indiana Model seeks excellence, rejecting any notion that a Midwestern “vowel state” would be content with mediocrity, and instead takes giant leaps, rather than baby steps.
It hinges on collaboration, among the public, private, and the philanthropic sectors, between our Administration and the legislature, across all levels of government. And it’s Hoosier-wide in every way, tossing aside any distinction between Indy and the rest.
Nearly every step forward we’ve made in the last seven years has followed this “Indiana Model”, a remarkable team effort. So, please, give yourselves and all our statewide partners a big round of applause on a job well done!
Now, for any state or organization for that matter to constantly seek to improve, it’s imperative to note around you. What’s changed, what’s changing, and what still needs to change.
So, let’s start with “what’s changed” in Indiana over the last 7 years.
First, we can finally answer that tired old question that used to be a head-scratcher: “What is Indiana known for?” beyond great stuff like the Indy 500, Larry Bird, and a whole lotta corn?!
Today, the answers abound:
We’re now known for advanced manufacturing, for being a top-10 ag state, a leader in plant, animal, and life sciences, a top convention destination, a logistics and freight hub, a top state in the nation for infrastructure, and we’re a state on the cutting edge of collaborative R&D across artificial intelligence, semiconductors, data centers, hard tech corridors, nuclear medicine and energy, and so much more!
It's no surprise that Forbes ranked Indiana last year as the #1 state in America to start a business, and we remain one of the lowest cost of living states in the nation!
Since 2017, our GDP has grown by over $150 billion.
Our private sector employment is up by 200,000 to an all-time high, while our unemployment rolls remain at historic lows.
Our population is growing faster than every state we border.
We paid down $4.5 billion in debt, returned $1.5 billion to taxpayers, all while maintaining prudent reserves to keep our AAA state credit rating.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I don’t need to tell you, but I’m proud to, the state of our state is strong! And the rest of the world has taken notice, and wants in on it!
Consider the recognition Indiana received last year when we were one of only three states that “ran the table” to win all three big federal partnerships – a clean hydrogen hub, a micro-electronics hub, and a biotech manufacturing hub.
Each will result in millions in new investment, and thousands of good-high paying jobs, and they position Indiana to benefit disproportionately from America’s renewed focus on defense-related manufacturing and our re-shoring strategy.
You need more evidence?
Consider the jaw-dropping $28.7 billion in committed capital investment last year, which brought Indiana over $50 billion in just the last two years through our economic development efforts.
What took us 12 years before, from 2005 through 2016 we did more than that in just the last two years!
That’s called “Indiana Momentum” and we’ve got a lot more coming!
And these new jobs come with all-time high wage levels averaging over $75,000 a year, much higher than the local and national averages.
And allow me to be the “myth buster” here about where this investment is going. Rural and mixed-rural counties won big, capturing $18.7 billion in capital commitments and more than 15,000 new jobs over the last two years.
A special thanks to all of you in the General Assembly who recognized the need and provided the Indiana Economic Development Corporation with the tools necessary to allow our entire state to grow alongside local leaders.
We’re proving our communities are able to now define their own destinies!
Another particular bright spot last year was the second investment by StarPlus Energy, the joint venture between Samsung-SDI and Stellantis in Kokomo. Where they’re building two EV battery factories ultimately creating thousands of new jobs along with Samsung-SDI’s similar investment with General Motors, straight up 31 in New Carlisle. All three total over $9 billion in new investment.
Thank you, Mr. Yun Jae Kim, StarPlus Energy’s newly appointed CEO. We couldn’t be more humbled by the faith and trust your companies have placed in our Indiana Model.
I’m just as proud of Indiana’s long-standing relationships with Japan and Israel, who honor us this evening with their diplomatic presence. Please welcome Consul General Yanagi of Japan, and Consul General Cohen of Israel.
Consul General Yanagi, our hearts are with your people and our friends affected by the recent tragedies in Japan.
And Consul General Cohen, please know we continue to pray for the safety and security of all those living in the Holy Land, and for the prospect of lasting peace.
Back home in Indiana, let’s move on to “what’s changing” for the better.
Businesses and individuals are thriving in Indiana because we operate in a continuous improvement mode.
For starters, we cut our personal income taxes “again” to 3.05%, on the way down to 2.9%.
Military members will no longer pay state taxes on their military income or pensions! Our state police and law enforcement officials finally got the salary boost they deserve.
And Indiana’s Venture Capital Ecosystem, including our force multiplying $250 million Next Level Fund and Elevate Ventures, ranks among the most active in the Great Lakes region.
And that’s why investments in innovation with global reach can be found in every corner of our state.
From Warsaw, where Zimmer Biomet developed a “Smart Knee” Replacement that checks in automatically with your doctor.
To Huntingburg, where OFS is changing the game of furniture manufacturing with the help of German robots.
To Speedway, where the famed Italian company Dallara makes high-tech seats for SpaceX astronauts.
And Ladies and Gentlemen, the positive change continues.
This is the year our graduation rates will continue to go up, and thanks to the historic investments this body has made average teacher pay across the state will reach our salary goal of $60,000 a year.
This is the year we’ll plant our 1 millionth tree on Arbor Day, ahead of schedule.
This is the year we’ll continue to put down some 280 miles of trails in all parts of our state making Indiana a recognized national trail leader.
This is the year we finish connecting over 70,000 households and businesses completing $320 million in Next Level Broadband investment, and that’s before we launch an even larger, $800 million federally backed program for every Hoosier who still lacks fast, affordable internet access.
This is the year (yes, it’s finally arriving) when I-69 connects Indianapolis to Evansville. INDOT has led this partnership with our private sector partners, and I am so proud to be approaching the Final Mile of construction after decades of discussion.
This is the year we finish double-tracking the South Shore Line between Gary and Michigan City.
This is the year our old rest stops are converted into true welcome centers.
This is the year we move aggressively on huge capital projects that have been on the drawing board gathering dust for years, including a new prison in Westville, a new Archives Building, new crime labs, a state-of-the-art law enforcement academy, co locating our world-class blind and deaf schools, and building the first new State Park Lodge since 1939 up at Potato Creek State Park.
And this is the year when our communities start to leverage the second round of READI funding that this assembly made possible. The first round of $500 million leveraged into $12.1 billion in public, private and non-profit investment, over $4 billion in housing infrastructure alone. I’m confident of a similar outcome during this next round.
Actually, based on what I’m about to reveal, I have a feeling we’ll far exceed even our most hopeful projections.
Tonight, I’m so proud to announce that the Lilly Endowment will be making the single largest grant award in its 86-year history. $250 million to support READI 2.0 projects focused on blight reduction, redevelopment, and arts and cultural initiatives throughout the state.
Let me offer a thousand “Thank You’s” to Lilly Endowment President Jennett Hill and Clay Robbins for their stewardship of an organization that once again shows why it’s such an essential partner in making Indiana the place we all want it to be for generations to come!
Jennett, thank you for being here tonight and every day forward.
Along with READI 2.0, recognizing health is wealth, our Health First Indiana program is the nation’s most substantial new commitment to public health, and will further empower Indiana counties to create tailored actions.
By the way, the first $75 million you all appropriated has just been distributed to the 86 counties that opted in.
And I fully realize there is still a long way to go, but let’s acknowledge that we’re starting to make progress against drug addiction. You, in this chamber helped to create new tools such as 385% more beds for residential addiction treatment, naloxone distribution, the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and an on-line Treatment Finder for Anyone/Anytime seeking to find recovery. Due to these efforts and others, recent reporting shows statewide drug overdose deaths dropped 5 percent year-over-year!
And a special thanks to Chief Justice Rush and our Judiciary for also making transformational technology and administrative improvements in connection with those we all serve, who are working to restore their lives.
Alongside the key roles that our public and private partners play, it’s the everyday citizens who step up to improve the lives of others that are most essential to the flywheel effect of the Indiana Model.
For instance, a few months back, I attended an event at Indiana’s War Memorial. A young lady introduced herself and shared an observation that immediately rang true. The license plate we offer our Gold Star Families didn’t really convey the full meaning of the sacrifice these Hoosier families have made.
Lauren Tomkiewicz did not shy away when I asked if she would help us come up with a worthy Gold Star Family Plate. Several months later, thanks to her willingness to collaborate with our Bureau of Motor Vehicles, a much more powerful tribute now exists.
Lauren’s everlasting contribution will honor those who gave us their sons and daughters, husbands, and wives, and her feelings could not have been more personal. You see, Lauren lost her husband Matthew in a NATO training accident in 2022.
Lauren and Matthew’s mother, Lisa, are here this evening. Ladies, we join you in honoring Matt and too many others who have made his sacrifice. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is what real citizenship looks like!
And, finally, in an attitude of gratitude let’s continue to live up to the Indiana Model in the legislative session ahead by addressing what “still needs to change.”
Here are a few commitments I believe we must make this year.
We must improve policies around 3rd grade reading to make sure that every child master’s this essential skill.
We must prepare our students for a digitally driven world by requiring Computer Science to graduate from high school.
We must work with our public universities to make college more accessible by creating more three-year and associate degree options.
We must expand our childcare workforce to help working moms and dads in Indiana.
We must update the State Disaster Relief Fund to make it easier for local communities to access funds.
And we must build better awareness of our Next Level Jobs programs through a campaign we’re calling “One Stop to Start” helping people obtain one of the many high paying, life-changing jobs available all over Indiana.
I ask for your partnership in making these things happen, because we must never forget how much the work of good governance matters to those who sent us here in the first place!
Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m excited about 2024, convinced that it will shine a light on many other examples of how the Indiana Model is boosting economic outcomes, vaulting our infrastructure to the 21st Century vanguard, and most importantly, improving lives through new opportunities.
And while earthly governance cannot take credit for it, I must mention a 2024 event that will draw even more attention to Indiana when the biggest spotlight of them all, the sun, is turned off for several minutes. So, don’t even think of being away from Indiana on April 8 when we’re in the direct path of a total solar eclipse!
My friends, a new year brings about reflection and preparation for what’s next. I only wish our buddy Henry was here to do it with us.
Term-limited though I am, here are my promises to you, for 2024.
My administration will not be a ship in port.
Instead, we will deploy on multiple fronts until my last day and hour as your governor owning the “Indiana Model”.
We will find constructive answers to any unforeseen challenges that arise when we move from ideas to implementation during these times of great transformation.
And I will continue to listen, as I’ve done for 7 years now to any and all partners who share a love for Indiana and believe in our future.
Indiana’s a wonderful place to live, to breathe, to work, to innovate, to raise a family, and it’s a wonderful place to help lead.
My fellow Hoosiers, even if I live long enough to need a “Smart Knee” or two. I will regard the privilege of having served as your Governor as the honor of a lifetime.
With all my heart, I thank you for it!
Good evening, and may God bless us all.
And now, let’s get back to work, and run up the score in 2024!
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How this year’s race for lieutenant governor bucks tradition
The usually quiet process of selecting party nominees for lieutenant governor has taken on additional intrigue, as a controversial Republican outsider has challenged the status quo and the Democratic gubernatorial nominee is keeping her options open.
For years, parties have typically rubber-stamped their gubernatorial candidate’s choice for lieutenant governor.
Republican nominee Mike Braun in May announced his choice: state Rep. Julie McGuire, R-Indianapolis. But she will face a challenge from pastor Micah Beckwith, who has campaigned for the nomination for more than a year and claims to have secured support from nearly half of the majority he would need from the party’s 1,800 nominee-deciding delegates.
As Republicans have not lost a statewide election contest in more than a decade, whoever prevails for the lieutenant governor nomination at the June 15 GOP convention will likely become the state’s next number two.
Democrats appear to have a smoother road ahead of their July 13 convention, but gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick has not yet offered up a candidate and recently told State Affairs that “nothing’s off the table,” including selecting a Republican running mate.
Beckwith’s push
Beckwith, pastor of Life Church’s Noblesville campus, told State Affairs he would be campaigning daily for the next five weeks.
“We’re going to try to hit two counties in a day — one in the morning, one in the afternoon. We’ll just be going to county chairs and delegates and letting them ask all the questions,” he said.
He has run for formal office in the past, finishing third in the 2020 Republican primary for the state’s 5th Congressional District. The seat was ultimately captured by Rep. Victoria Spartz.
Beckwith is also a podcast host and may be best known for a tumultuous tenure on the Hamilton East Public Library Board of Trustees, where he pushed for an audit of children’s books. The unpopular plan ultimately collapsed, and the trustees who pushed for it soon left the board.
Beckwith went public with his lieutenant governor candidacy as he left the board and has since barnstormed the state hoping to court potential delegates. His website stresses he is seeking to give Republicans another choice.
Some 1,600 Republican delegates were selected in the May 7 primary election. Every county is represented by a different number of delegates relative to its population, with some fielding only a handful while larger counties field more than 100 each.
Most delegates are elected, but party leaders must sometimes fill vacancies to reach the 1,800 number.
Beckwith said some 400 of the 1,600 newly elected delegates had already pledged to support his bid.
Though Braun selected McGuire, the nominee said last week he welcomed competition for the spot as his running mate.
He told IndyStar: “I think that we’ll win that competition, and if by chance that doesn’t work, which I think is very slim, I’ll deal with it.”
McGuire fits recent trend
McGuire, a one-term legislator from Indianapolis, fits into a recent trend of Republican lieutenant governors: women with legislative backgrounds who represent a different geographical part of the state from their running mate.
Former Lt. Govs. Becky Skillman and Sue Ellspermann and outgoing Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch each fit that description.
McGuire defeated state Rep. John Jacob, a staunch anti-abortion activist who clashed with party leadership, in the Republican primary on her way to winning election to the Statehouse in 2022.
She authored one bill signed into law this past session centered on voiding parental rights over children sexually abused by a parent. She co-authored several education bills.
McGuire may be best known as the former author of a proposed bill to block a new tax district in downtown Indianapolis meant to pay for city services. A compromise was ultimately reached to allow the plan. McGuire removed herself as the bill’s author and voted against it.
Braun’s campaign and McGuire did not respond to requests for an interview.
Braun told IndyStar that he recruited McGuire due to her knowledge of health care policy and that he would campaign on her behalf with delegates.
Two state constitutional officers threw their support behind McGuire on Monday: state Treasurer Daniel Elliott and Secretary of State Diego Morales.
“Indiana Republican Convention delegates will have their choice as to who they will support, as do I,” Morales said in an X post. “I will be supporting Julie for Indiana lieutenant governor.”
“Delegates will have a choice at this convention, and I encourage them to choose Julie McGuire as our Republican nominee for lieutenant governor,” Elliott said in a similar post.
Not the first contested race
This year’s competition harks back to the ’90s, when Republican delegates last oversaw several contentious lieutenant governor nomination processes.
In 1996, GOP gubernatorial nominee and Indianapolis Mayor Stephen Goldsmith left the selection entirely up to delegates.
Four years earlier, Attorney General Linley Pearson, the Republican nominee, nearly quit the convention over nominations for lieutenant governor and attorney general that he did not agree with.
Both tickets ended up losing in the general election.
In the ’80s, the GOP experimented with the idea of allowing voters to select the lieutenant governor nominee. John Mutz won a five-way primary in 1980 and eventually served two terms.
Mike McDaniel, a former state GOP chairman who served as Mutz’s campaign manager and chief of staff, said the party returned to the convention system in 1984 because leaders believed a lieutenant governor primary wasted campaign money.
McDaniel, a previous delegate of some 15 state and national conventions, supports the tradition of selecting the gubernatorial candidate’s choice for lieutenant governor.
“I think that’s important because the governor has to serve with this person for four or maybe eight years, and you want somebody you can trust, work with and be part of a team with to get things done,” McDaniel said.
McDaniel called Beckwith’s campaign, launched well before the gubernatorial race came into focus, “very, very unusual.” He said Braun will be the party’s new leader at the convention, so backing his choice is a sign of unity.
“If [Braun] has a preference, we should give him his preference,” McDaniel said.
Holcomb weighs in
More recently, delegates have shown themselves willing to break with the gubernatorial candidate on selections for other constitutional offices. In 2022, the convention chose Diego Morales over Gov. Eric Holcomb’s pick, Holli Sullivan, for the secretary of state nomination.
Holcomb, who briefly served as lieutenant governor under former Gov. Mike Pence, weighed in on this year’s competition on Tuesday, telling reporters that delegates should be the ultimate decision-makers on the nominee.
“And we have a history in Indiana of some tickets being blessed and some not,” he said. “And so that’s very instructive going into this convention and [it’s] incumbent upon the gubernatorial candidate to make their pitch to the convention delegates of their preference. And so I’ve been there, done that. And it worked out OK for me.”
What does a lieutenant governor do?
Whomever the voters select in November will have a role to play in the Legislature and within state agencies.
The lieutenant governor presides over the Indiana Senate and may cast a tiebreaker vote if needed. The position also fills in for the governor if the latter becomes incapacitated or dies.
The lieutenant governor oversees four state agencies: the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority, the Indiana Office of Tourism Development and the Indiana Office of Community & Rural Affairs.
Finally, the position chairs the Indiana Mental Health Roundtable, the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Task Force and the Civics Education Commission.
Democrats prepared to back McCormick’s pick
Delegates for the Indiana Democratic Party are preparing to support their nominee’s pick for governor, Chairman Mike Schmuhl told State Affairs.
“It really falls to [McCormick] to make that selection over the next few weeks,” Schmuhl said, adding that both parties have typically backed the governor’s selection and that Republicans are “upending tradition” with Beckwith’s candidacy.
“We really do envision it as the pick of the gubernatorial nominee,” he said. “Not only is it a convention pick, but it’s also who the governor wants as a governing partner if elected. It’s a pretty serious responsibility.”
Asked about McCormick possibly backing a Republican for the Democratic lieutenant governor nomination, Schmuhl said he could not comment on her process directly.
“I think my recommendation is when you’re picking someone for this spot, you want to find somebody who expands your appeal and your campaign’s reach,” Schmuhl said, “and who doesn’t limit you or harm you in any way.”
Contact Rory Appleton on X at @roryehappleton or email him at [email protected].
Indiana appeals court chief judge on AI, mental health, and the state’s dwindling number of lawyers
Many Hoosiers may be familiar with their local courts or hear about the opinions of the Indiana Supreme Court, but a middle tier in the state’s judiciary system shapes justice through some 2,000 rulings a year.
The 15 judges of the Indiana Court of Appeals dole out opinions on everything from murder and fraud to civil and child welfare cases. Every Hoosier has the right to appeal a conviction or ruling, and the Court of Appeals, the second-highest court in the state, takes up each case sent its way.
Chief Judge Robert R. Altice Jr. has analyzed thousands of cases since being appointed by Gov. Mike Pence in 2015. Prior to that, he spent 15 years as an elected judge in Marion County.
Altice sat down with State Affairs for a discussion on the ins and outs of his court, how changes in technology and mental health care have impacted his work and what he sees as a major problem facing the nation’s judicial system.
This conversation has been edited for clarity, brevity and length.
Q. What sort of cases does the Court of Appeals hear?
A. We hear really everything except death penalty cases. If there’s a death penalty case, it goes straight to the [state] Supreme Court. Otherwise, we get it.
I’ve had to publish an opinion on a traffic court case. About 65% of our cases are criminal. Every, everything under the sun: murders, rapes, robberies, child molestation.
Then there are civil cases. We do medical malpractice suits, traffic accidents, you name it. Complex business litigation? Our court was involved.
Q. How does the appeals process work? There’s not a new trial, right?
A. I’ll give you an example. Let’s say you got a murder case and the defendant gets convicted and gets 65 years, which is the max for a murder conviction. Everybody in the state of Indiana has got an automatic right to appeal. Not everybody takes that right, but most criminal defendants do.
Somebody will write his brief for him. That attorney will find three issues that they think will result in a new trial if we rule in their favor. That’s really what the appellate process is: Are the errors committed at the trial court level significant enough to warrant a new trial?
And then the attorney general in the criminal cases will write a brief in opposition, then the appellant or the defendant can file a reply brief as well.
We sit and read transcripts and their briefs and do our own research and come to a decision as to whether or not there was error at the trial court level that warrants a new trial.
Q. How many of the 2,000 cases your court receives a year, how many are taken up by the Indiana Supreme Court?
A. It is rare. You start with the proposition that trial courts throughout the state are doing about 2+ million cases a year. That’s everything. We do 2,000 opinions a year. I think the Supreme Court writes about 60 opinions a year. That’s what their taking of ours.
But we’re considered an error-correcting court, whereas that’s really not their role. Their role is more jurisprudential. It’s “should we look at changing in this regard or changing precedent.”
It’s really an inverse pyramid, with the trial courts, I always say, doing the heavy lifting.
Our turnaround time is very quick. It’s about three months. Some states require oral arguments in every single case, but we don’t.
If you ask for an oral argument, we will sometimes grant that. We do a lot of oral arguments, but most of our oral arguments are traveling oral arguments. We travel all over the state and do live arguments. And we do those in front of high schools, small colleges, bigger schools.
We answer questions or ask questions like we normally would do, and then once we’re finished, then we have a question and answer session with the students.
Q. One thing we heard about at the State of the Judiciary is there’s an attorney shortage in the state, particularly in rural areas. How has that affected your work?
A. I think we’re seeing more pro se litigants, people representing themselves, and that can be difficult because we hold them to the same standard that we would hold a lawyer to. It can be really difficult for them. So in that regard, it has hurt.
We’ll go to traveling oral arguments in some rural county, and the bar association will host a lunch for us. We’ll go and there’ll be six lawyers in the room and I’ll say to somebody, “So how many people are in the bar?” And they’ll say, “Well, you’re looking at it.”
That access to justice is a really difficult thing that I think the state of Indiana is dealing with now. The Supreme Court has just set up a task force to look into how we can improve that. I believe law schools are looking at incentivizing young kids to go practice in rural areas.
It’s a real issue. I think a lot of it stems from the low bar passage rate of the last 10+ years. It’ll be interesting to see what the task force thinks.
Q. How has technology impacted the court?
A. Technology has been huge. All our work is done online now. The briefs are filed online.
The technology that we have to keep an eye on, and we’re already looking at, is artificial intelligence. What impact is that going to have on the courts, especially our courts?
You can punch a button and write an opinion. It’s probably not going to be very good, but as technology improves, it’s going to be. We’re kind of leery of that.
But at the same time, from a research standpoint, it’s been a very valuable tool. We’ve been using AI in that regard for researching for some time now, with Westlaw and Lexus as they’ve come out with those kinds of tools.
Q. There have been changes in how the world views mental health. How has that impacted the court?
A. I see it primarily in the sentencing arena. Before every defendant is sentenced by a trial court, a pre-sentence investigation is prepared on them. And so that’s where you see a lot of that because it discusses their entire background, and the number of people with mental health issues coming through has really increased greatly.
I think the pandemic had a lot to do with that as well. But again, the mental health issues are very much creeping into the system, and one of the things that we’re constantly working on trying to be aware of and trying to, to the extent we can with alternatives to incarceration, assist people.
Q. Are there any other challenges facing today’s judiciary?
A. I guess not necessarily my court, but courts in general. It appears to me that Congress is broken. They’re not passing laws.
So, what are we doing? We have to rely on the other two branches of government to kind of take up the slack, and that’s why you’re seeing tons of executive orders.
That’s not traditionally their job, and then you’re seeing the courts being called upon to determine whether or not those regulations are enforceable.
I see that as a long-term problem that we’ve got to get corrected.
Contact Rory Appleton on X at @roryehappleton or email him at [email protected].
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].
Spartz, Shreve, Stutzman win Republican congressional primaries
A central Indiana congresswoman successfully fought off eight primary challengers, while crowded races for three other Republican-leaning congressional districts began to clear in Tuesday’s primary election. And in northeastern Indiana, a former congressman held on in a tight race as he seeks to return to Congress. All of the state’s nine U.S. House of Representatives …