The question of who’ll be the next leader of the Indiana Senate is essentially decided as GOP senators are backing Sen. Chris Garten for the president pro tem position.
The Senate Republican caucus announced that it had “endorsed” Garten during a private meeting Tuesday to replace current President Pro Tem Rodric Bray.
Garten was the only senator to publicly announce a bid for the top Senate position after Bray said July 31 he would give up the job he’s held for eight years.
Bray’s decision followed President Donald Trump-endorsed challengers winning primaries over at least six current Republican senators who defied Trump over congressional redistricting last year.
Garten was unopposed and received unanimous support from the Republican senators, caucus spokeswoman Molly Swigart said.
Garten’s rise to president pro tem won’t be official until the full Senate votes following the November election, but the Republican caucus said he was taking over leadership of its campaign operation and planning for the 2027 legislative session.
Garten is a favorite of strident Trump supporters and backed the redistricting push. That split Garten from Bray and other top Senate Republicans on the issue.
“Leading this caucus is a profound honor, and my commitment to my colleagues and the people of Indiana is simple: unapologetic conservatism, decisive action and absolute transparency,” Garten said in a statement. “We have an incredible, talented team of conservative leaders ready to do the work. As we approach the upcoming budget session, we will operate in the daylight – scrutinizing every dollar, safeguarding taxpayer resources and executing a bold agenda that keeps Indiana strong, free, and prosperous.”
The president pro tem has authority to pick Senate committee chairs, direct bills to particular committees and broadly set the Senate’s agenda.
Bray made Garten his top deputy by appointing him majority floor leader in August 2022 but Garten resigned from that position in June, saying he no longer had “seamless alignment with the current strategic direction of leadership.”
Garten, of Charlestown, was first elected to the Senate in 2018. He was unopposed in the Republican primary as he is seeking reelection to a third term this year. He faces Democrat Nick Marshall and Libertarian Larry Mahaney in the fall.
Garten previously announced he would appoint Sen. Eric Koch of Bedford as majority floor leader.
Bray says Garten will lead “with conviction”
Republicans currently hold a 40-10 Senate majority.
Twenty-two Republican-held seats are up for election this year, with at least nine current Republican senators not returning for the 2027 session either because of retirements or primary defeats. Most of those open seats, however, are in strongly Republican districts.
Bray will continue to run the daily operations of the Senate until the formal vote for president pro tem is taken on the Legislature’s Organization Day in November, a news release said.
Bray said in the statement that he believed Garten would “lead the caucus with conviction and boldness.”
“I look forward to working with Sen. Garten to ensure a smooth transition, and I wish him well in this role,” Bray said.
Another Senate leadership contest remains
Republican senators still face a contest for the other top leadership position of majority caucus chair.
Sen. Scott Baldwin of Noblesville and Sen. Tyler Johnson of Leo have announced bids to replace Sen. Travis Holdman of Markle, who was among the current senators defeated in the May primary.
Swigart, the caucus spokeswoman, said the caucus chair election will occur after the November elections.
Indiana Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Indiana Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Niki Kelly for questions: info@indianacapitalchronicle.com
