Pence, Braun call out Democrats

Two of Indiana’s Republican candidates for Congress gave a dressing down to Democrats on key political issues, while about 120 people attending the invitation-only GOP event enjoyed ice cream on the side.

U.S. Senate candidate Mike Braun of Jasper and 6th District U.S. House candidate Greg Pence of Columbus gave separate addresses at the ice cream social event, hosted by Bartholomew County Republican Chairwoman Barb Hackman at Hackman Farms on Saturday afternoon.

Braun and Greg Pence, the brother of Vice President Mike Pence, both criticized Democrats in their remarks.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, have become totally dysfunctional, Greg Pence said.

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“We’ve turned the country in the right direction with this administration,” Pence said of the Trump administration. “We’ve got to keep it going, and keep the socialists out of Congress.”

Democrats are obsessed with criticizing President Trump’s efforts in regard to Russia, China and North Korea, Pence said.

He also told the crowd that Democrats have no concern for the safety of other Americans, adding “we’re gonna build the wall if Mike (Braun) and I get to Washington.”

Regarding his own party, Greg Pence credited the Trump administration for the country’s strong economy, and described the controversial tariffs supported by the White House as “wins on the table.”

Asked about statements Cummins Inc. CEO Tom Linebarger made that steel and aluminum tariffs could cost the jobs of Cummins workers, Pence said he is concerned about those positions.

“But my glass is half full,” Pence said. “I have a lot of confidence that the administration is laser-focused on helping U.S. manufacturing and farmers.”

When asked whether manufacturers should get some type of federal assistance similar to what’s been suggested for farmers, Pence said he can’t answer that question yet because there’s no current indication that manufacturers have been negatively impacted.

“When we get there, I could have an answer,” Greg Pence said. “But today, we haven’t gotten there yet.”

After Braun mentioned that he will will participate in two upcoming debates with incumbent Sen. Joe Donnelly, Pence was asked whether he will debate his Democratic opponent, Jeannine Lee Lake.

“We’ll take a look at that in the fall,” Pence said.

Braun said the Senate seat he’s seeking is one of the three most recoverable Senate seats for Republicans in the country. The other two are in Florida and North Dakota, he said.

“Indiana is considered No. 1 of those three because we’ve got 88 counties that are mostly Republican,” Braun said.

But while answering questions after his address, the Jasper businessman said Democrats are outgunning Republicans in fundraising.

Braun told the crowd that he believes Schumer has been discreetly directing Donnelly’s campaign and those of Democratic Senate candidates in Florida and North Dakota.

“Something is wrong if a guy like Schumer can flood the airwaves with negative ads and win today,” Braun said. “Schumer is not going to run this race in Indiana. Hoosiers and conservatives are going to win it.”

Saturday’s crowd included John Fairbanks of Columbus, who said he believes Democrats are attempting to push the federal government too far to the left.

Fairbanks said that Pence, who he believes represents the values of most Hoosiers, will help prevent that from happening.

Another local resident, Annette Lester, said Pence comes from a great family, and she has liked everything she has heard from him.

“He’s a genuine person, and really cares about Indiana,” Lester said.

Indiana’s 6th District includes 19 counties stretching geographically northeast to southeast, and covers some of the central and south-central regions.

Vice President Mike Pence served that district for 12 consecutive years before making a successful run for governor in 2012, and joining Trump as his running mate in their victorious 2016 presidential campaign.

Republican Luke Messer has represented the 6th District for more than five years, but decided to leave the seat to seek the GOP nomination for U.S. senator representing Indiana, which he lost to Braun.

[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Greg Pence” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]

Name: Greg Pence

Political party: Republican

Age: 61

City of residence: Columbus

Occupation: Owner of Exit 76 Antique Mall in Edinburgh, Bloomington Antique Mall

Education: Columbus North High School graduate, 1975; Bachelor’s degree in Theology and Philosophy from Loyola University of Chicago; Master of Business Administration from Loyola, 1985; Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs, post-graduate work.

Previous offices held: None

[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Mike Braun” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]

Name: Mike Braun

Political party: Republican

Position sought: U.S. Senate, Indiana

Age: 64

City of residence: Jasper

Occupation: President and CEO of Meyer Distributing, Jasper.

Education: Jasper High School graduate, 1972; Bachelor’s degree in economics from Wabash College, 1976; Master’s in Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School, 1978.

Previous offices held: Jasper School Board, 2004-2014; Indiana House of Representative, District 63, 2014-2017.

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