Indiana Republican senator to run for governor

Indiana Republican Sen. Mike Braun has filed to run for governor of his state in 2024.

Businessman Eric Doden has been campaigning for months and Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch is likely to launch a bid of her own, per the Washington Examiner, meaning Braun will likely face stiff competition in a state primary.

An opening in the Senate could potentially result in another crowded contest. Indiana Republican Rep. Jim Banks has already indicated he is "seriously considering" a bid to replace Braun. 

A spokesperson for the Republican senator told the Examiner he "is strongly positioned to win a statewide primary and general election in Indiana" and that the lawmaker would use the holiday season to decide on a prospective campaign. Should he opt against it, however, Braun would be all but certain to retain his seat in a 2024 bid for another term.

One of the party's most conservative senators, Braun backed Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott's attempt to unseat Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, saying "Hoosier conservative Republicans are sick and tired of the status quo," the Associated Press reported. He has reportedly considered a shift to an executive position amid long-held frustrations about the Senate's lethargic deliberative pace.

Current Indiana Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb will leave office in early 2025, at the end of his second term, as he is unable to seek reelection due to term limits.