Special Poll
Trump-Backed Candidate in Indiana’s Lieutenant Governor Race Falls Short
Despite receiving an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, state Rep. Julie McGuire did not succeed in her bid for Indiana’s lieutenant governor position. McGuire, a relatively unknown first-term legislator, also had the backing of Senator Mike Braun, who recently won the state’s gubernatorial primary. Braun had reportedly convinced Trump to endorse McGuire just hours before the vote, telling delegates, “That’s how you get stuff done.”
However, the endorsement did not have the desired impact. A Republican insider with ties to Trump, speaking anonymously, remarked, “Holy smokes — Trump world is going to lose their shit.”
A spokesperson for Trump’s campaign did not immediately comment on the situation.
This outcome illustrates that not all political races are influenced by national figures, even in the Trump era. McGuire’s opponent, Micah Beckwith, also a Trump supporter, campaigned as a conservative “insurance policy,” promising to act as a check on the party’s leadership following dissatisfaction with Gov. Eric Holcomb’s pandemic measures.
After the vote, Braun acknowledged the defeat and hinted at a potentially challenging relationship with Beckwith, stating, “I’m in charge. And Micah is going to be someone that works with me. And if he doesn’t … it will probably not be as fruitful in terms of what we can get done.”