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What Should Eric Holcomb Look For In A Potential Running Mate?

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The Indiana GOP state committee will officially nominate gubernatorial candidate Eric Holcomb’s pick for lieutenant governor Monday.

As Holcomb was announced as the Republican Party’s candidate for governor, he discussed what he’s looking for in a partner on the ticket. He says primarily he wants someone who can run the state. Bowen Center for Public Affairs director Joseph Losco notes that the last two governors have run with women on their tickets:

“We may have built up an expectation already in the state that having a male and female at the top of the ticket is a good thing to do,” he says.

Mike Downs Center for Politics director Andrew Downs says Holcomb should look to the people he beat out for the gubernatorial nomination –U.S. Representatives Susan Brooks and Todd Rokita. Downs adds that while going from Congress to Lieutenant Governor might seem like a step down, he says it depends on their political goals.

“When you’re Lieutenant Governor, you are setting yourself up to be the governor in a couple of elections,” he says.

After losing their bids at the gubernatorial nomination, both Brooks and Rokita indicated they’ll aim to return to running for their House seats.   

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.
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