Republican candidate for Indiana Secretary of State Max Engling spoke about election security, campus involvement and his qualifications for the role at a discussion with College Republicans at Indiana University on Monday.
Engling spoke for an hour to around 20 students at the Indiana Memorial Union, describing his background working for multiple politicians in Washington, D.C., and an unsuccessful run in 2024 for Indiana’s 5th congressional district.
He began the event by bonding with the crowd over their shared experiences in College Republicans. Engling was a member of the chapter at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, where he graduated from in 2010.
“I appreciate when folks, especially here in Bloomington, it's tough sometimes to be a Republican, and it's tough sometimes being conservative, and to say, ‘Hey, doesn't matter.’” Engling said. “We know the policy we believe in; we know the priorities we believe in; we're going to go get it.”
Engling gave a rundown of his platform and acknowledged the importance of educating voters on the responsibilities of the Secretary of State position, particularly as the head election official in the state.
Two of his campaign promises aim to protect “election integrity” by creating a portal so citizens can report “potential election issues” firsthand, such as ensuring “it's just eligible citizens voting,” Engling said at the event.
His third goal is to prevent fraud through further business filing screenings to protect consumers. He claimed during the event that this is particularly visible in trucking, where he said logistics and transportation companies will set up businesses and hire drivers who are illegally in the United States who "can’t speak English” or do not have a commercial driver’s license.
An April Indiana law revoked the commercial driver’s licenses of nearly 1,800 non-citizen truck drivers. The law made it harder to obtain one by requiring a more specific immigrant work visa status and proof of English proficiency.
His final goal is to cut “red tape” regulations on small businesses and services.
Engling also made several comments targeting his Democratic opponent, Beau Bayh. He pointed to Bayh’s large financial backing and Indiana connections, implying that Bayh’s success is due in part to his family connections.
Bayh is the son of former Indiana Gov. and Sen. Evan Bayh and grandson of late Indiana Sen. Birch Bayh. Beau Bayh was born in Indianapolis but grew up in Washington, D.C. He moved back to Indiana full time in 2024 but has voted in the state since he was 18, he told the Indiana Capital Chronicle.
“One is that he (Bayh) was born here, yes, and then his parents immediately moved him to D.C. That's OK; it's not his fault, but he hasn't lived here,” Engling said. “And then, less than two years ago, he decided he was going to move back. That's also fine, but what it means is that you don't really understand what it means to be a Hoosier.”
Bayh has raised over $3.6 million as of Monday, according to Transparency USA, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that tracks state-level finance and contribution data. The website lists his top donors as billionaire, Black Entertainment Television founder Robert Johnson, as well as Deborah Simon and Cynthia Simon Skodjt, the daughters of late shopping mall billionaire Melvin Simon. Simon Skodjt is the namesake of Simon Skodjt Assembly Hall after she donated $40 million to IU Athletics in 2013.
Engling said at the event that he has raised nearly $2 million but that number might not be publicly available until Wednesday. Transparency USA states he has raised over $1.4 million as of Monday. Engling’s top donor is listed as the Indiana Republican State Committee, Inc., which donated over $1 million.
Two others will join Engling and Bayh on the secretary of state ballot in November. Greg Ballard, a former Republican mayor of Indianapolis, is running as an independent under his Lincoln Party label, and Lauri Shillings is running as a Libertarian.
College Republicans at IU President Dillon Burns also raised attention to the success of the event in educating interested students about the roles of different political offices.
“I feel that so often candidates run for offices at every level across the country, and they promise a little more than they can feasibly deliver on, or that their office can do,” Burns said. “So I think that's also really important for setting the perspective on here are the priorities of candidates, and like what is the actual job."
Burns said he thinks Engling represents a good turn towards the “common sense conservatism” that Engling believes is popular among young Republicans he interacts with. Burns said he likes Engling’s focus on governance and secure elections while “trying to tone down the temperature and the rhetoric on a lot of things.”
Engling mentioned President Donald Trump just once in the discussion, praising the president’s decision to locate a major U.S. Department of Agriculture office in Indiana in July 2025. Engling told the Indiana Daily Student that he supports Trump and the Save America Act that requires proof of U.S. citizenship to vote.
“I think that's common sense legislation,” Engling said. “It's one that most Americans agree with as well. Having voter ID, ensuring that eligible folks are coming, is important to make sure we have confidence in our elections.”
IU freshman Marilee Nygro and IU political science student Brayden Blouir both said the event helped them learn about a future career in politics and political staff work.
“Honestly, I'm pretty unversed in Indiana politics, so it's nice to get down to the grassroots level, hearing from him,” Nygro, who is from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, said. “He has a lot of experience. I'm interested in working in public policy, so it's definitely nice to know somebody who has had a connection out in D.C.”
