Solidly GOP Indiana doesn’t often see competitive primaries for governor. This year is different

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — In a state as solidly Republican as Indiana, the May primary is the real competition.

Four months out, five candidates are still jockeying for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in an unusually crowed field. Annual campaign finance reports filed Wednesday reflect a multimillion-dollar race that has become a competition of who can out-conservative the others for primary votes in a state with historically low turnout.

Two-term Gov. Eric Holcomb, a Republican, cannot run again because of term limits. Indiana’s primary is May 7.

“In Indiana, we are not used to seeing competitive primaries,” said Gregory Shufeldt, a professor of political science at the University of Indianapolis.

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«Other news» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-show-loadmore=«true» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Other news </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Zach Edey comes up big again and leads No. 2 Purdue past rival Indiana 87-66 </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> The Supreme Court declines to step into the fight over bathrooms for transgender students </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Caitlin Clark stars as No. 3 Iowa beats No. 14 Indiana 84-57 for Big Ten lead </bsp-custom-headline> </bsp-list-loadmore>

Shufeldt said the crowded field could be a result of interest in state government roles, rather than a career in a Congress bogged with gridlock in the recent years. First-term U.S. Sen. Mike Braun’s decision to join the gubernatorial race opened up his seat, and many expect U.S. Rep Jim Banks, a Republican, to easily fill it.

Br