Not since Governor Robert Orr thwarted his opponent by 42 points in 1984 has an Indiana governor faced a primary challenge – but that could change this year.
Fort Wayne car dealer Bob Thomas condemns Mike Pence’s support of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, even as religious conservatives bash the governor and lawmakers for watering down the bill after its passage.
Still, IPFW political scientist Andy Downs says Thomas will have a tough time stripping voters away from Pence’s conservative base, and that next year’s primary is not comparable to the election that ousted incumbent Senator Dick Lugar in favor of Tea Party favorite and then-treasurer Richard Murdock.
"Murdock started that campaign well in advance of the election and was out going to all 92 counties and benefited from the fact that Lugar was not particularly engaged in going out to those counties," Downs says. "I don’t see Mike Pence making that mistake."
Thomas says he will decide in July whether to take on Pence, who will formally announce his bid for reelection next month.
