State Republicans convene in Indianapolis
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Indiana Republicans have one big decision to make Saturday: Who will be on the ballot with gubernatorial candidate Sen. Mike Braun.
Why it matters: The lieutenant governor is first in line to lead the state if the governor can't fulfill their duties, presides over the Senate, casts tie-breaking votes and oversees several state offices.
The big picture: Republican delegates have two choices at Saturday's state party convention at the Indiana Convention Center.
- State Rep. Julie McGuire is Braun's selected running mate and the more "establishment" choice, having served in the Statehouse for the last two years. She received a last-minute endorsement from former President Trump.
- Conservative pastor and unsuccessful congressional candidate Micah Beckwith started running for the spot over a year ago as criticism of Gov. Eric Holcomb. It's an unconventional approach to challenge the candidate's selected choice.
What they're saying: "If you can convince delegates that you're the one that needs to be lieutenant governor, that's fine with me," Braun told the Madison County Tea Party in March, as our old friend James Briggs at IndyStar reported.
How it works: Counties are awarded a share of roughly 1,800 delegates based on how many votes were cast in that county for the Republican Party's candidate for Secretary of State in the last election.
- Delegates will cast their votes for McGuire or Beckwith and whoever receives the majority wins the nomination.
- The convention will also select a candidate for attorney general, but incumbent Todd Rokita is unopposed.
The bottom line: While Beckwith's win would be a surprise, the state party convention can be unpredictable, as evidenced by its backing of Diego Morales for secretary of state in 2022.