Democrat gubernatorial nominee to announce lieutenant governor running mate Thursday

Jennifer McCormick meets with reporters Tuesday June 18, 2024 in Indianapolis. (Mia Hilkowitz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jennifer McCormick will announce her choice for lieutenant governor running mate Thursday.

“I also will tell you that it is a person of character,” McCormick said during a press conference Tuesday. “It’s a person who can use his skills and his competency for those responsibilities, who is very laser focused on public service and making sure that we are serving Hoosiers in the best capacity we can.”

Two Hoosiers — Bob Kern and Clif Marsiglio — have also filed to run for Indiana lieutenant governor at the upcoming state convention.

McCormick’s announcement will come days after Indiana’s GOP delegates nominated conservative pastor Micah Beckwith as the Republican nominee for the position, rebuffing Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Braun’s pick , Rep. Julie McGuire.

McCormick said the delegates’ selection was “unfortunate” but did not surprise her. She said Beckwith is not equipped to handle the responsibilities of lieutenant governor.

“It’s moments like last weekend that remind me of why I left the party,” McCormick said. “Indiana does not want extremism. Hoosiers are not behind the extremism we are seeing in the Republican party.”

Following Beckwith’s nomination, Braun said that although he chose McGuire as his running mate, “everything you believe in, I have as well.” McCormick said this indicates Beckwith is “in control” of the Republican party.

“That’s alarming,” McCormick said. “And for Mike Braun to say ‘I agree with everything,’ should give us all pause and create such an urgency to move our campaign forward.”

Beckwith is a pastor who has referred to himself as a Christian nationalist. He was instrumental in a push to relocate or ban allegedly inappropriate books in Hamilton County but later resigned from the library board.

Indiana Democratic Party State Convention delegates will nominate a candidate for lieutenant governor on July 13.

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