Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch
Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, who is seeking the GOP nomination in the race for the Indiana governor’s office, has asked Rep. Greg Pence, R-Indiana, to consider being her running mate, a campaign spokesman told The Republic.
Crouch is among four Republicans who have thrown their hat into the ring for the 2024 Republican nomination as the party seeks to extend its 20-year hold on the governor’s office. Current Gov. Eric Holcomb is term limited from seeking a third consecutive term.
The governor’s running mate would hold the role of lieutenant governor, who presides over the Senate, as well as casts deciding votes in the event of a tie. In addition, the lieutenant governor is charged with assuming the role of governor if the sitting governor becomes unable to fulfill the duties of office or if the office falls vacant due to death.
“I have nothing to add other than to confirm (Lt. Gov.) Crouch asked Rep. Pence to consider being her running mate,” said Crouch campaign spokesman Robert Vane.
Pence did not respond to requests for comment.
Pence, 66, who is currently serving his third term in Congress, has not hidden his support for Crouch’s campaign. He formally endorsed Crouch’s campaign for governor in May, saying in a statement that she “is a proven conservative who will protect Hoosier values, stand up for families, faith, life and will always support law enforcement.”
In June, Pence made a $35,000 contribution to her campaign the following month — the largest single contribution he has given to any one candidate during his tenure in Congress, according to the Federal Election Commission.
Other candidates who are seeking the GOP nomination for governor include Sen. Mike Braun, R-Indiana, and Fort Wayne businessman and former President of the Indiana Economic Development Corp. Eric Doden.
Former Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill also has announced that he will seek the GOP nomination. Hill was accused by four women of drunkenly groping them in 2018 and had his law license suspended in the lead-up to the 2020 Republican state primary. He has denied the allegations.
The Republican candidate for lieutenant governor will be nominated at the GOP’s state convention next year. The party’s nominees for governor and lieutenant governor then run as a team in the general election.
Indiana’s lieutenant governor salary currently is $125,000 per year, though state lawmakers voted earlier this year to raise that to about $140,000 starting in 2025. By comparison, most members of Congress are paid $174,000 per year, according to the Congressional Research Committee.
