Politics in Indiana have been something of a domino situation as of late. Largely stemming from Republican U.S. Senator Mike Braun's decision to run for governor rather than another Senate term.
His choice would trigger interest among many individuals for the seat he would be vacating. The ripple effect has led to other seats being vacated or possibly so. Meanwhile, popular former Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels was considering making a political comeback. He has reportedly made up his mind about those prospects.
Says he will not pursue a United States Senate seat
Mitch Daniels will not be running for Braun's U.S. Senate seat in 2024, report Politico and CNN. Polling had indicated that Daniels would've been a heavy favorite in the Republican primary. And, in this case, whomever wins the Republican nomination is favored to win the general election.
"It's just not the job for me," Daniels said on the matter. Also going on to add that "it's not the life I want to live at this point." He'd previously also been considering running for his old job as governor of Indiana before deciding against it. Whether or not that might've been different if not for Braun's candidacy is unclear. Current Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch is also presently running for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.
Daniels was first elected governor in 2004 over Democratic former Lieutenant Governor Joe Kernan. He was re-elected in a landslide in 2008 against the Democratic nominee, former U.S. Representative Jill Long Thompson. Daniels was term-limited from running consecutively again. Republican U.S. Representative and future U.S. Vice President Mike Pence won the race to succeed him.
Outgoing Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb had been Daniels' deputy chief of staff. Holcomb was also the campaign manager for his successful 2008 re-election bid. Like Daniels before him, Holcomb is facing term limits barring him another candidacy so soon.
More recently, Daniels served as president of the Purdue University System for nearly a decade.
His tenure as president concluded at the end of 2022. In the past, Daniels was also considered a contender for the Presidency of the United States.
U.S. Representative Jim Banks is currently the only official candidate in the Indiana Republican Senate primary for 2024. Others including Holcomb and U.S. Representative Victoria Spartz may enter. No Democrats have formally declared their candidacy yet.
Served in two White House administrations
The grandson of Syrian immigrants, Mitch Daniels was born near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In Monongahela, Pennsylvania; to be more precise. He would graduate from North Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. There, Daniels was the student body president.
He was also selected to be part of the Presidential Scholars Program by Democratic U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Daniels' early political career included working for Indianapolis Mayor Richard Lugar. He eventually became Lugar's chief of staff after he was elected to the U.S. Senate. Daniels was nearly appointed to the Senate himself to over for then-incoming U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle. But he would turn the job down.
Daniels was an advisor in the White House during the Reagan administration. He later served in the powerful position of director of the Office of Management and Budget under President George W. Bush.
