Indiana Republicans upset Mike Braun’s choice for lieutenant governor, backing far-right pick

AP ^ | 6/15/24 | ISABELLA VOLMERT

[cotton1706]

Indiana Republicans rejected Sen. Mike Braun’s choice for lieutenant governor on Saturday, instead nominating a podcasting pastor with far-right views to be his running mate.

Braun, who is leaving the Senate, endorsed state Rep. Julie McGuire for his running mate when he became the GOP nominee for governor. Indiana delegates usually back the nominee’s chosen running mate without a challenge.

But during Saturday's state Republican Party convention, party delegates instead chose pastor Micah Beckwith, who promotes uncompromising positions on abortion, gender and sexuality and cohosts his “Jesus, Sex and Politics” podcast. The ultra-conservative Christian pastor lobbied delegates for a year to win the nomination at the convention.

Beckwith received the votes of 891 delegates, while McGuire got 828 votes, Indiana Republican Party spokesperson Griffin Reid said.

Braun had been endorsed by former President Donald Trump and campaigned largely on national issues such as immigration. Trump made a surprise endorsement Thursday night for McGuire ahead of the convention, indicating Beckwith’s campaign had some teeth.

snip

Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Mike Schmuhl said in a statement that Beckwith’s nomination “shows how out-of-the-mainstream extremism has hijacked the current Indiana GOP.”

“Beckwith will bring the worst of the culture wars to the lieutenant governor’s office, which is usually tasked with increasing tourism and supporting agriculture. He is dangerous for business, dangerous for women, dangerous for families, and dangerous for Indiana’s future,” Schmuhl added.

McGuire, from Indianapolis, was a policy analyst for Senate Republicans until 2022, when she unseated a representative who had angered other Republicans in part by repeatedly pushing a complete ban on abortion. Indiana’s current law allows exceptions in rare and limited circumstances.

[OldHarbor]

Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Mike Schmuhl said in a statement that Beckwith’s nomination “shows how out-of-the-mainstream extremism has hijacked the current Indiana GOP.”

Mr. Schmuhl, what exactly constitutes “the mainstream” these days ? Trans trash ? Climate Change ? Latest Facebook and TikTok craze ?

[dforest]

The Indiana GOP needed a real good hijacking. Getting the GOP
here out of dirty RAT supporting RINO hands would be a dose of needed fresh air.

[Mr. Lucky]

Preach it, Brother.

[pas]

Not sold on Braun but the rest of the options were pretty bad.

[Deplorable American1776]

Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Mike Schmuhl said in a statement that Beckwith’s nomination “shows how out-of-the-mainstream extremism has hijacked the current Indiana GOP.”

And your party is more extreme than Joseph Stalin!! So shut up!!

[daler]

Does the AP ever report on “far-left Democrats.”

[dforest]

I agree with that but he has backed Trump pretty well so far.

I am so tired of the Todd Young type. I have hated the Indiana GOP for so long. They always run the same RINOs all the time.

[If You Want It Fixed - Fix It]

Jesus is going to die, so i vote BARABAS!

This seems like Trump’s motto. He doesn’t get it truly. Trust in Jesus, let the chips fall as they may.

[DIRTYSECRET]

I’m just glad the current senator is kicking himself into the governors seat-forgot the name. It’s like DeWine. Lousy senator & Gov but less damage where he’s at. To think Dick Lugar had the seat for so long. He mighta been a decent Sec. of State but too squishy for Indiana. Then there was Hagel/Neb. Couldn’t stand him either. They’re all history now. Be grateful.

That Rob Schmidt fella(Newsmax). Good looking guy. Why can’t he run? Rats got the women taking off their pants with their gift of gab.

[Owen]

This is just more manifestation of folks not understanding that politics have changed.

The GOP is 27% of the electorate, as are the Dems. This:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2024/01/12/voters-who-identify-as-independents-skyrocket-—as-democrats-and-republicans-dwindle/

Trump has to make some GOPe noises now and then to get the nomination. He has already installed his people at the RNC, and they are in the process of moving away from GOPe policies and towards draining of the Swamp.

Folks have to understand the magnitude of the reality. You cannot dismiss Federal employees. They have an enormous number of review and appeal steps. You can’t walk into the Oval office and fire . . . almost anyone. It has to be done incrementally. A cabinet official tasked with undoing his own agency will have to move senior people to “equivalent” positions that do nothing. Most will not endure this long. They will retire with a cushy pension.

This is the process for draining the Swamp. That’s the bureaucracy. The rest of the problem is incumbents, and that is addressing itself via age and retirements. New folks will arrive to $36T in debt and a slow understanding that nothing can be done, because everything costs too much.

[MurrietaMadman]

Trust in Jesus, let the chips fall as they may.

A foundational belief that's been whittled away throughout the 20th Century.

Americans will have to learn to embrace it once again if they expect their lives to improve anytime soon.

Thanks for the reminder.

[Regulator]

“Far Right”

Hilarious

[EC Washington]

Not good at all - this will take attention away from the Race