Mike Braun is a Republican member of the United States Senate from Indiana. He is also currently a member of five Senate committees. Including its Committees on Appropriations and on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. On the former, he's the ranking member of its Legislative Branch Subcommittee. And on the latter, he is the ranking member of its Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety.
Whatever his Senate career may hold in the future remains yet to be seen. But Braun might be looking at options outside of a seat in the United States Congress.
In particular, the highest elected office in his home state.
Likely to launch a gubernatorial campaign in Indiana
Politico and Yahoo report that Mike Braun is getting to ready to make a run for the governorship of Indiana. The next gubernatorial election in the state is scheduled for 2024. Republican incumbent Eric Holcomb is term-limited from running for the office again, consecutively.
Braun says he'll probably make an official announcement sometime towards the end of this year. But he doesn't seem to be shy that he's had an eye on the governor's office for quite some time. "I've been talking about it though since I've got here," Braun stated.
He was elected to the Senate in 2018. In the Republican primary, he emerged victorious with relative ease over U.S.
Representatives Todd Rokita and Luke Messer. Afterward, Braun defeated Democratic incumbent Joe Donnelly in the general election.
Braun's first political office was serving as a member of the school board of Jasper in southern Indiana. He held that role for about a decade. In 2014, Braun was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives.
He was re-elected in 2016, but would resign before the completion of his term to run for the U.S. Senate.
The 2024 gubernatorial primary race in Indiana could end up including a litany of high-profile contenders. Including former Governor Mitch Daniels and current Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch. As well as U.S. Representatives Jim Banks, Trey Hollingsworth, and Greg Pence.
Pence is the brother of former U.S. Vice President, Indiana Governor, and U.S. Representative Mike Pence.
On the Democratic side, Joe Donnelly has been mentioned as a possible candidate. Others include current Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett.
Has a background in automotive parts manufacturing
After graduating from high school in Jasper, Mike Braun attended Wabash College in Crawfordsville, near Indianapolis. From there, he obtained a degree in economics. Later, he received a master's degree from Harvard Business School.
Braun later joined the family business, which entailed manufacturing truck bodies. He eventually began to gear the company more towards truck accessories. In the mid-1990s, Braun bought out Meyer Body Inc.
Meyer Body manufactured truck bodies and distributed truck parts and equipment. The company was later re-named Meyer Distributing, with Braun as its president and CEO.
His brother, Steve Braun, also served in the Indiana House of Representatives. Mike Pence would appoint Steve as commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. He was retained in the post by Eric Holcomb. Steve Braun has also twice unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for a seat in the United States House of Representatives. First in 2018 from the 4th District of Indiana. Secondly, in 2020 from Indiana's 5th District.
