U.S. Sen. Mike Braun won the Republican gubernatorial primary, beating a crowded republican nomination of five other contenders — Brad Chambers, Suzanne Crouch, Eric Doden, Curtis Hill and Jamie Reitenour.
Braun will now face Democrat Jennifer McCormick and Libertarian Donald Rainwater in the Nov. 5 general election.
Results are listed below with 99% of votes counted:
- Mike Braun: 39.6%
- Suzanne Crouch: 21.8%
- Brad Chambers: 17.5%
- Eric Doden: 11.9%
- Jamie Reitenour: 4.8%
- Curtis Hill: 4.5%
Former President Donald Trump endorsed Braun in November 2023.
Braun has served as U.S. Senator since he was inaugurated in 2019, a seat now left vacant for a race between Republican Jim Banks, Democrat Marc Carmichael and Libertarian Andy Horning.
According to the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University’s Center for Effective Lawmaking, Braun was the sixth most effective Republican Senator in introducing and passing substantive legislation.
His website is not specific on policy but lists ideals he would promote if elected to the governorship — including promoting economic growth and school choice, and to “stand up to woke corporations.”
Braun says on his website he wants to see increased parental roles in school curricula, and remove discussions about critical race theory, gender identity and sexual orientation from the classroom.
“Indiana state laws should reinforce the simple truth that there are only two genders, biological males should not be allowed to compete in girls’ sports, and ‘gender affirming care’ should be banned for minors,” his site reads.
Like many other Republicans in the field, Braun also wants to cut taxes, though he does not specify which he would cut. He said he wants to downsize government as a cost-cutting measure, though he does not give specifics on what sections of government he would downsize.
Braun is staunchly anti-abortion but highlights on his issues page that “pro-life means pro-family,” saying he would increase social support given to mothers and their children.
He strongly supported the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade, allowing states to make their own policies and restrictions on abortion. Indiana adopted a near-total abortion ban in August 2023, permitting the procedure only in cases before 22 weeks if doctors detected a lethal fetal anomaly or until 12 weeks in the case of rape or incest.
He also takes swings at hot-button national issues affecting Indiana, including tough-on-crime positions and funding “solutions that keep criminals and drugs, like fentanyl, from entering our country.”
He will also continue or enact “America First” policies to secure Indiana’s security from what he calls a “humanitarian and national security crisis on our southern border.”
The Indiana Daily Student released a profile of Braun, among other gubernatorial candidates, for more information.
