Hidden In Plain Sight: Jennifer McCormick as Governor of Indiana
Election 2024 is now in full swing. Summer is waning, school buses slow down our morning commutes, mums of all colors adorn porches and yards, and pumpkin spice lattes have finally arrived!
During the summer, the presidential campaigns dominated the public’s attention. Donald Trump spent most of the summer in court, campaigning at the end of day as he left the courtrooms. When he wasn’t in court, he was golfing. Joe Biden, while not actively campaigning, was losing ground with supporters and likely voters. The war between Israel and Hamas dominated the news and eroded Biden’s favorability. Over the summer it seemed like Donald Trump was gaining in public favor and electability for 2024, especially following the Presidential debate in late June. Biden’s age dominated the headlines and world leaders were bracing for a return of Donald Trump to the White House and the impact that would have globally. On Sunday, July 21, 2024, President Joe Biden stepped down as the Democratic candidate for President and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. She quickly acquired the necessary delegate vote and became the formal candidate during the August Democratic National Convention. This decision ignited rousing national enthusiasm, with energized supporters rally behind Harris’ and Tim Walz’s candidacy in a historic moment for the United States.
Did You Know:
Back home in Indiana, Jennifer McCormick was quietly nominated in the May Primary as the Democratic candidate for Governor. She ran uncontested in the Primary and received 100% of the votes. McCormick is a former Republican who was elected as Indiana State Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2016. Her values as an elected civil servant collided with the values of then President Donald Trump and the evolving MAGA movement here in Indiana. She left the party as a matter of conscience. She is a lifelong educator and grew up in rural Indiana in the small town of New Castle.
Jennifer McCormick’s choice for Lt. Governor, Terry Goodin was overwhelmingly supported in the July Democratic State Convention. Terry Goodin served in the Indiana House of Representatives from 2000-2020. In February of 2020, President Joe Biden appointed Goodin as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Indiana state director for rural development. Goodin is also an educator and cattle farmer in southern Indiana. He was considered a conservative democrat while serving as state representative, siding with his GOP colleagues on several social issues. Like many of us, his views on gay marriage, reproductive rights, and other social issues have evolved over time; aligning with the growing sentiment of today’s society, where acceptance and inclusivity are more widely embraced.
Indiana Republican politics made more local noise and gained national attention. Senator Mike Braun won the May primary for Governor, only earning 39.5% of the votes in a six-way race. As Senator, Mike Braun is a loyal acolyte to the MAGA movement and Donald Trump. In June, the Republican State Convention rejected Braun’s choice for Lt. Governor, Julie McGuire, and instead nominated pastor and self-proclaimed Christian Nationalist, Micah Beckwith. Beckwith’s nomination was considered unconventional and a bit of a rebuke of both Holcomb and Braun. Micah Beckwith promotes uncompromising positions on abortion, gender and sexuality and states that the January 6th insurrection was divinely inspired. Beckwith is best known for his role in leading the book banning movement while serving on the Hamilton County library board, and as a podcast host of “Jesus, Sex and Politics”.
Why It Matters:
Indiana’s choice for Governor could not be starker both in substance and tone. That said, Hoosiers have a bit of a ‘blind spot’ concerning the electability of a democrat for Governor. Indiana has not had a democratic Governor for 20 years, so it is important to believe that it is possible, despite the historic, structural and electoral impediments. Here are some important points to consider:
Over the past 20 years, our state has been partisan gerrymandered giving both the Indiana House and Senate a supermajority stronghold over state politics. Hoosiers have lived under a trifecta supermajority since 2011.
The ‘tea party’ that emerged in response to the 2008 election of Barack Obama has morphed into the ‘freedom caucus’ and evolved into the MAGA movement following the election of Donald Trump. Indiana’s GOP followed that same evolution into greater extremism.
Indiana voters have become more and more disillusioned in the minority rule of our statehouse; we ranked 46th in voter turnout in 2020 and dead last in 2022. The impact of low voter turnout is that those elected represent only a minority of Hoosiers. This pattern becomes a vicious cycle of despair, voter apathy, and unrepresentative governance.
Mike Braun is a MAGA loyalist and Trump acolyte. Micah Beckwith is a self-proclaimed Christian Nationalist (a very particular expression of Christianity that seeks to embed its religious views into social policy and the structures of government). Beckwith espouses a very narrow definition of a fundamentalist sect of Christianity that is patriarchal and has puritanical views of the role of women. Micah Beckwith has promised to be a ‘thorn in Braun’s side’; determined to influence him concerning his Christian nationalist views on Indiana governance.
Under a Braun/Beckwith Administration, our state would continue to be a laboratory for authoritarianism regardless of who wins the national election for president, and is likely to serve as a testing ground for Project 2025; an authoritarian roadmap from the conservative Heritage Foundation and influenced by the authoritarian leader of Hungary, Viktor Orbán.
Conversely, a McCormick/Goodin administration is poised to be a non-extremist, moderate administration. She believes that Hoosiers deserve a state government that “can be trusted, held accountable, and works for the protection and betterment of all.”
Even though the McCormick/Goodin ticket is being outspent by tens of thousands of dollars, their campaign is closing in on the Braun/Beckwith campaign. McCormick has run a grassroots campaign and clearly articulates her policy commitments and common sense approach to governance.
According to Michael Hicks, PhD, a distinguished professor of economics at Ball State University, McCormick's tax plan would be good for Hoosiers and is an actual tax plan as opposed to the ‘talking points’ plan that Braun is proposing.
McCormick promises to support Indiana teachers, public schools and quality public school education. She will take on the issue of quality educational choices and how public school funding is being undermined by the $439 million dollar voucher program paid by tax payer dollars
Indiana has one of the most restrictive and draconian abortion bans in the nation. Jennifer McCormick promises to work to mitigate the adverse effect on this ban on women’s health and to support reproductive freedom and access to reproductive health care in Indiana. ( A recent article in the IndyStar told the story of a young woman’s death due to the ‘maternity desert’ that now exists in Indiana. She was unable to be treated in a local hospital because they had no one to care for her and her ruptured ectopic pregnancy.)
McCormick also promises to work for common sense gun safety legislation, especially poignant after the recent school shooting by a 14-year-old student in Atlanta. Indiana ranks 19th highest for gun violence in the U.S.
McCormick has been endorsed by the Sierra Club and promises to develop policies to protect wetlands, water, air, soil and recreational forests. She will establish an Office of Environmental Justice that will involve Hoosiers in environmental decision making. For a full outline of her environmental policies, see her environmental protections plan.
What You Can Do:
It is important to stay focused and informed on what is at stake in this election, both nationally and at a state level. Legislation that is passed during the General Assemblies are not in line with the values and desires of most Hoosiers. We need to break the supermajority in the Statehouse and the triplex of having the Attorney General, Secretary of State and Governor all from the same extremist party.
Stay informed about the gubernatorial race and talk to your friends and neighbors about Jennifer McCormick's campaign. Attend one of her many focus groups, community gatherings and donate to her campaign. Her campaign war chest is about $700,000 compared to Braun’s $1.7 million. She will be outspent. It is our work as voters and as citizens to make sure we know about her and what she stands for. To support her campaign and help with paid media ads that will introduce her to Hoosiers across the state, donate here.
Support Destiny Wells for Attorney General. She is opposing incumbent Todd Rokita. He is an election denier and is one of the most extreme AGs in the nation. If elected, Destiny Wells will collapse the triplex that exists in Indiana.
Don’t miss a chance to meet both Jennifer McCormick and Destiny Wells via a Zoom webinar on Sunday, September 29, 2024 from 8-9 pm EDT. ReCenter, a friend and ally of Hoosiers of Democracy, is a nonprofit, bi-partisan pro-democracy organization. They are hosting a webinar session featuring Jennifer McCormick and Destiny Wells. Register for this opportunity here! Spread the word and see you there!
Support Valerie McCray for the U.S. Senate. She is running against Jim Banks. Banks is a MAGA extremist, and advocates for a national abortion ban and restricting pregnant women leaving the state to seek legal abortions even with life threatening pregnancies. He is considered a key supporter and contributor to Project 2025.
Support Indiana House and Senate seats that are not in your districts, especially if you are in a safe ‘non-extremist’ district. Once elected, these legislators impact state-wide legislation and sit on important committees. See our We Believe in Believing recent post for a list of important House seats.
Here are a few non-extreme candidates that, if elected, would help reverse the supermajorities of both chambers and bring a less extreme legislature to the Statehouse.
Katrina Owens is running for State Senate District 32. She is a young, passionate, and qualified candidate who would help break the supermajority in the state senate.
Josh Lowry is running in HD24 against Hunter Smith, who supports Indiana’s extreme abortion ban and whose policies are aligned with Christian Nationalist MIcah Beckwith.
Tiffany Stoner is running in HD 25. Her incumbent opponent, Becky Cash, votes with the MAGA supermajority and only narrowly won this gerrymandered seat in 2022.
Stephanie Yocum is running in HD88 against incumbent Chris Jeter. Jeter is another extreme MAGA candidate, whose voting record includes a bill discriminating against trans girls (the Governor vetoed that bill), a bill limiting discussion in public schools about gender identity, race and religion, and additional restrictions on vote by mail. HD88 is a partisan gerrymandered district that is considered ‘safe’ for Republican candidates. His views are not aligned with most Hoosiers.
Hoosiers for Democracy’s friend and ally, ReCenter, is also hosting a webinar for Statehouse Candidates on Thursday, September 19 from 7-8 pm EDT. This is your chance to meet Josh Lowry HD24, Tiffany Stoner HD2, Matt McNally HD39 and incumbent Victoria Garcia Wilburn HD32. These candidates need your support if we are to end the supermajority MAGA stranglehold in our Statehouse. Register for this free webinar here.
For support in having civil, authentic, ‘difficult’ conversations, see Red, Wine & Blue’s How To Talk About Tough Topics or their resource on Project 2025 or their video on How to Have Tough Conversations Like a Pro.
Please share this newsletter with your friends and family. Information is power and democracy dies in darkness. Let’s be a light for a brighter tomorrow.
Your sisters in democracy,
Debbie, Rachel, & Barbara
Notes:
For more information on the illiberal democracy of Hungary and the authoritarian leader Viktor Orbán see trump-vance-project-2025-orban-hungary by the Washington Post.
For more information about Project 2025 and its impact on our democracy, see 2024-05_Peoples-Guide-Pro-2025.pdf
For more information about ReCenter and the work they are doing along with Hoosiers for Democracy and other friends and allies in the pro-democracy, anti-extremism movement, see here.