State of Indiana Archives: on Principles & Values
Andrew Straw:
Ten Commandments are public already; don't impose in court
Q: Do you agree or disagree with the statement, "Keep God in the public sphere"?A: Support, but only in a manner consistent with the Constitution and the First Amendment.
Q: Is posting the Ten Commandments in courtrooms consistent with the
Constitution and the First Amendment?
A: The Ten Commandments is a religious statement and is connected to the Hebrew religion. If the Court makes it seem like it is imposing the Ten Commandments as law, this shows bias in
favor of one religion and whoever put it there should recuse when someone before the court as a litigant does not share that faith. It is better not to have it there.
Most communities have so many churches, there are plenty of opportunities to see the Ten Commandments in public. It can be a display on every church grounds, and at the gates of cemeteries.
Source: OnTheIssues follow-up with 2018 Indiana Senate candidate
Mar 2, 2018
Brad Ellsworth:
Coats negotiated lobbying job while still a Senator
Ellsworth accused Coats of negotiating his deal to join the law and lobbying firm Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand in 1998, when he was still a senator. Coats replied that Sens. George Mitchell and Bob Dole at the firm both contacted him an
said they wanted to talk to him when he left the Senate.Coats went on to say, "I said, 'Under the laws, I'm not able to negotiate anything." But Coats was still in the Senate when his office announced in Dec. 1998 that he planned on joining the firm.
[A Democratic spokesman] called Coats' assertion a "bald-faced lie." The spokesman stopped short of saying Coats violated any ethics rules. He said the "laws" Coats alluded to in his debate response were not in place when Coats was in the Senate.
Coats may not have broken any rules, the spokesman said, but did lie "because he knows that his position as a lobbyist and the fact that he took advantage of the revolving door in Washington is a vulnerability to his campaign."
Source: Columbus Republic coverage of 2010 Indiana Senate debate
Oct 12, 2010
Daniel Coats:
Accepted lobbying job after adjournment but still in Senate
Ellsworth criticized Coats for deciding to take a lobbying job before his last term in the Senate expired in 1999. "While he was in Congress, he was negotiating the deal," Ellsworth said. A month before his term ended, Coats' Senate office announced his
plans to join the firm Verner-Liipfert.Coats appeared to claim he accepted the lobbying job only after leaving office. "I said, 'Under the laws, I'm not able to negotiate anything.' In fact, I took a month off after I left because I didn't even want t
think about what was next," Coats said.
What's clear is that on Oct. 17, 1998, press reported that the firm was "quite intrigued by Coats." Coats' Senate office announced that the deal was done on Dec. 3. On Jan. 3, Coats' Senate term ended. In Feb.
1999, Coats began working for the firm, earning a salary over $400,000.
Coats' campaign said the former senator simply misspoke. By "after I left," the campaign says he meant after Oct. 21, when the Senate adjourned and Coats was through casting votes.
Source: Evansville Courier Press on 2010 Indiana Senate debate
Oct 13, 2010
Daniel Coats:
Accused of lobbying for whatever issue paid the most money
Ellsworth attacked Coats for the years he spent lobbying in Washington saying the former senator took stands on issues--including the bank bailout and stimulus funding--based on who paid his law firm the most money. "That's not right for Hoosiers,"
Ellsworth said. "We need people who stand up for us, for Hoosiers and base their decisions on what they hear only from the people back home."Coats battled back, saying that it was his law firm--not him personally--who represented clients on those
issues. He pointed instead at Ellsworth, saying that the Democrat's votes for the bailout, health care law and stimulus bill put the country in almost insurmountable debt. "I can understand that someone who went to Washington talking like a conservative
here at home--but followed the agenda of Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama nearly 90% of the time--would not want to come home and talk about that," Coats said.
Source: Louisville Courier-Transcript on 2010 Indiana Senate debate
Oct 22, 2010
Daniel Coats:
There's a lot of enthusiasm for change in Washington
Coats has criticized Ellsworth for voting in favor of the health care overhaul and stimulus programs. Ellsworth believes the stimulus legislation prevented a worse situation. "We made drastic improvements to save us from going into a depression,"
Ellsworth said.Coats said voters are unhappy with federal government, and he accuses Ellsworth of being lockstep with his party leaders. "Clearly, a lot of Hoosiers are not happy with what's come out of Washington these last two years.
90% of what's come out has been supported by my opponent," Coats said. "There's a lot of enthusiasm for change in Washington."
Ellsworth said Coats' claim that he has voted in line with Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi 90% of the time is misleading
He said those votes could include anything from naming a post office to honoring a sports team. "I have one of the most independent voting records in Congress, and I had a more conservative voting record than four Republicans," Ellsworth said.
Source: News & Tribune coverage of 2010 Indiana Senate debate
Oct 24, 2010
Daniel Coats:
YouTube video: "Don't tell Hoosiers I'm a Tar Heel"
Ellsworth scored his biggest points at the end of the debate when he reminded voters that Coats had lived, voted and paid taxes for the past decade in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. He pointed to the infamous YouTube clip in which Coats, who left the
Senate in 1999, asked a group of North Carolina Republicans not to tell Hoosiers that he owned a home in the Tar Heel state and planned to retire there."I never left Indiana," Ellsworth, a former county sheriff from Evansville, said in contrast.
The critique irritated Coats, who had brushed off Ellsworth's criticisms for most of the evening but now stood on stage shaking his head. "You can shake your head all day long,"
Ellsworth said. "You said it."
"Brad," Coats said, sounding exasperated, "it was a second home."
Source: Indianapolis Star coverage of 2010 Indiana Senate debate
Oct 27, 2010
Eric Holcomb:
Proven, passionate solutions-oriented approach
Senator Dan Coats announced earlier this week he would not seek reelection. Holcomb stepped down from a job running Coats' state office shortly afterwards.Holcomb said he wants to lead the same "proven, passionate solutions-oriented approach" in
Washington as seen in the last decade in Indiana [since Coats was elected]. "Ten some years ago our state was running adrift," Holcomb said. "That all changed when Hoosiers in record numbers came together and rallied around a leader who presented
solution-oriented ideas always leaning toward more freedom, greater opportunity and bold pro-growth policies."
Holcomb said he was proud to have been a part of that turnaround and that the experience taught him that broad public support and engagement
is "paramount to realizing real change for the better."
"And, I'm asking every Hoosier who feels the way I do--who has a shared responsibility and duty--who feels that returning America to our rightful and respected position in the world to join me."
Source: WISH-TV coverage of 2016 Indiana Senate race
Mar 26, 2015
Eric Holcomb:
Every citizen should have equal access and opportunity
My fellow Hoosiers, we've become known around the world as "A State that Works." I want Indiana to become known as "A State that Works for All." Where every citizen--no matter their background or age or who they love or whether
they grew up here or arrived last week--has equal access and opportunity to go as far as they wish and are willing to work to get there. That's what I'll continue to fight for.
Source: 2020 Indiana State of the State address
Jan 14, 2020
Joe Donnelly:
Irish Catholic faith deeply important
Faith has been a central theme for both Biden and Donnelly. In 2020, Donnelly penned an IndyStar op-ed defending Biden's Irish Catholic faith--and sharing the depth of his own."When I was 10 years old, my mom died from cancer," Donnelly
wrote. "My dad, who was deeply religious, put his arm around all of us and told us we'd stick together and make it through. I found out later that my Dad told his friend that 'without my faith, I could never have gotten through such tough times.'
Source: Indianapolis Star on Ambassadorial Confirmation Hearings
Oct 9, 2021
Joe Donnelly:
Help someone in private instead of making show of religion
Joe Biden lives his faith every day. Every Sunday, he is on his knees attending Mass and praying for his country, his family, and all those in need in our beloved nation. I know this because I know Joe Biden and I come from the same Irish Catholic
faith tradition. We have never been good at showing off our faith or telling others how religious we are. We would rather help someone in private than make a big show in public about our religion.
Source: Indianapolis Star on Biden Administration
Aug 21, 2021
John Gregg:
Calls himself a "gun-totin' Bible-quotin' Democrat"
Describing himself as a "gun-totin,' Bible-quotin,' Southern Indiana Democrat,"
Mr. Gregg had a long career in the Indiana House of Representatives, where he served from 1987 to 2003. He was speaker of the House from 1996 to the end of his tenure.
Source: Washington Times on 2016 Indiana gubernatorial race
Dec 7, 2015
Mike Braun:
Use record of what's been done in hometown and statehouse
Indiana and the country would benefit from not having career politicians in government. Looking ahead, Braun explained how he plans to take on Sen. Donnelly. "I know Joe Donnelly will try to come at me and
I can't wait to take the record of what we've done in our hometown and the time I've spent in the statehouse, and get those values and those ideas out there," said Braun.
Source: Fox 59 on 2018 Indiana Senate race
May 9, 2018
Mike Pence:
Religious Freedom Restoration Act protects religion
Hoosiers deserve to know that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act enhances protections for every church, non-profit religious organization or society, religious school, rabbi, priest, preacher, minister or pastor in the review of government action
where their religious liberty is infringed. The law also enhances protection in religious liberty cases for groups of individuals and businesses in conscience decisions that do not involve provision of goods and services, employment and housing.
Source: Indianapolis Star on 2016 Indiana gubernatorial race
Jan 26, 2014
Mike Pence:
Indiana & U.S. Constitutions guarantee religious freedom
Gov. Mike Pence has signed into law a measure aimed at removing fears that the state's new "religious freedom" law would allow businesses to discriminate against gays and lesbians. Excerpts from his full statement:The freedom of religion for every
Hoosier is enshrined in the Constitution of the United States and in the Indiana Constitution, which reads, 'No law shall, in any case whatever, control the free exercise and enjoyment of religious opinions, or interfere with the rights of conscience.'
Source: Indianapolis Star on 2016 Indiana gubernatorial race
Jan 2, 2014
Mike Pence:
I'm Christian, conservative, & Republican, in that order
During Mike Pence's six terms in Congress and four years as governor, the born-again Christian described himself as a "happy warrior" for conservative principles.
A former radio talk show host who compared himself to "Rush Limbaugh on decaf," Pence emphasized his communication skills, creating a radio studio in his congressional office and winning a leadership post focused on messaging.
Republican ...in that order," said Pence, on numerous occasions.
Source: Indianapolis Star on 2016 Veepstakes: "Pence: His Own Words"
Jul 14, 2016
Mike Pence:
Voted for Carter in 1980 over Reagan but views changed since
Mike Pence has been running for office basically since grade school-the only thing that has changed is his political party. The native Hoosier was born in 1959 to a family of Irish Catholic Democrats (in that order). Growing up in Columbus, he kept a
box of Kennedy clippings; by 15, he was youth coordinator for the Bartholomew County Democrats. After high school, Pence headed an hour southeast to Hanover College, where he majored in history. Hanover was also where Pence went through two important
transformations. The first was political. Pence worked on his senior thesis with a professor who was a strict originalist who loaded his syllabus in his infamous Constitutional and Legal History class with the Founders' own writings, and
Pence began to warm to the ideas of limited government. It took time (he still voted for Carter in 1980), but Pence's politics were beginning to change.
Source: Indianapolis Monthly on 2016 Veepstakes, "INcoming"
Jan 2, 2013
Mitch Daniels:
You might dislike my decisions, but things ARE different
When I first took office, a radio caller said "I like what you say you stand for, but Republicans, Democrats, nothing ever changes. Nothing's ever different." I recall responding, "Sir, I'm careful not to promise what I'm not sure can be delivered.
But I'll promise you one thing. In a few years, you may disagree with decisions we've made, or actions we've taken. But you will not think nothing's different." I'm pretty sure that good man would agree tonight that things are very different in
Indiana now. Then, we were broke and other states were flush. Tonight, while states elsewhere twist in financial agony, Indiana has an honestly balanced budget, a strong, protective reserve in our state savings account, and the first AAA credit rating
in state history, one of just a handful left in America. Our credit is better--imagine this--than that of the federal government.
We are not where we want to be, nowhere close. But we are poised for more progress, and better days.
Source: Indiana 2012 State of the State Address
Jan 10, 2012
Richard Lugar:
OpEd: Lives in Washington DC, no longer in Indiana
Mourdock waited until the very end for perhaps the biggest jab of the night, pointing out his opponent doesn't even live in the state he serves. "It is a place if I have a privilege of serving as your US Senator, I'm not moving from. I will always calls
Darmstadt, Indiana, home," said Mourdock.Because there was no rebuttal allowed on the last question, Senator Lugar didn't get a chance to respond. But the 80-year-old Senator, who's been in Washington since 1976, defended his record.
Source: 14 News WFIE Evansville on 2012 Indiana Senate debate
Apr 11, 2012
Trey Hollingsworth:
I believe in Christian family values
Here's what I believe:- I believe in Christian family values; what good is an efficient government if it is not a principled government? Sadly, none of us think of "principled" when we think of today's political class.
- Above all else,
I believe in America. Anything I have achieved has been because I partnered with American workers to invest in American dirt in pursuit of the American dream.
Source: 2016 Indiana House campaign website VoteForTrey.com
Nov 8, 2016
Valerie McCray:
Psychologist; sought presidential nomination in 2020
McCray, 60, decided about a year ago that she wanted to seek the Democratic nomination. She was working at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility, just south of Terre Haute, and thought her professional background could be useful for the
nation's highest office. "How can you not do it?" she said when asked why she's running. "I'm a psychologist. I work in the trenches. . I'm ground level, so I know what it feels like for the average American person."
Source: Indianapolis Recorder on 2020 Presidential Hopefuls
Aug 22, 2019
Jim Banks:
Uncover Jesus painting at Merchant Marine Academy
Banks is urging Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to take action regarding the reported covering of a piece of artwork depicting Jesus that is displayed at the Merchant Marine Academy. "The piece, titled 'Christ on the Water,' was designated a
heritage asset by the Maritime Administration and has significant historical value," Banks said in the letter. "The painting depicts an image of Jesus and merchant seamen adrift in a lifeboat during World War II."
Source: The Hill on 2024 Indiana Senate race
Feb 13, 2023
Suzanne Crouch:
Will protect our faith, families, and freedom
I have a clear vision for Indiana's future – lower taxes, keep our citizens safe, protect the sanctity of life, and defend Hoosier values.
I will fight to make sure Washington politicians never compromise our Hoosier values, ensuring we will always be there for the most vulnerable while protecting our faith, families, and freedom.
Source: 2024 Indiana Governor campaign website CrouchForIndiana.com
Apr 19, 2023
Suzanne Crouch:
Democrats weaponizing government against Donald Trump
Donald Trump: "It is clear that Joe Biden and the Democrats will stop at nothing when it comes to weaponizing government against Donald Trump.
Hillary Clinton started it seven years ago, and they haven't stopped since. Political persecution has no place in government."
Source: Indiana Capital Chronicle on 2024 Indiana Gubernatorial race
Jun 2, 2023
Mike Pence:
I was Tea Party before it was cool
Pence insisted on a polite tone--"Rush Limbaugh on decaf," was one of his slogans--and he regularly invited Evan Bayh, Frank O'Bannon, & even John Gregg, whom he called "my favorite Democrat," for interviews. But Pence's convictions continued to deepen.
When Richard Lugar ran for president in 1996, Pence used his show to criticize Lugar for not being "conservative enough." There's no doubt that, during his 12 years in Congress,
Pence spent a lot of energy on social issues. "Our present crisis," he argued in a 2010 speech, "is not merely economic and political but moral in nature." But Pence proved to be far more than a social crusader. In fact, it's hard to find an issue on
which he didn't take--and passionately advocate for--a far-right position. It all adds up to a more consistent record than that of most Bush-era conservatives. As Pence put it in a 2011 interview: "I was Tea Party before it was cool."
Source: Indianapolis Monthly on 2016 Veepstakes, "INcoming"
Jan 2, 2013
Mike Braun:
Save America by making Indiana a beacon of freedom
After serving Hoosiers in Washington, I know now, more than ever, our problems can't be solved by the special interests and career politicians in DC, they must be solved right here at home. Hoosiers are capable and ready to lead the way,
but we need new bold leadership to move forward to the future. I'm running for governor because the way we save America is to make Indiana a beacon of freedom and opportunity.
Source: 2024 Indiana Governor campaign website MikeBraunForIndiana
Oct 24, 2023
Mike Braun:
The Constitution protects our God-given rights
The Constitution protects our God-given rights to live our lives and raise our families as we choose. The rights of law-abiding gun owners, the freedom to practice our religion, and the rights of parents to protect their children from leftist
ideology are under attack. Mike Braun will never waver when it comes to defending every Hoosier's rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Source: 2024 Indiana Governor campaign website MikeBraunForIndiana
Oct 24, 2023
Suzanne Crouch:
Indiana law gives parents their "God-given rights"
Some recent remarks from Crouch's campaign Twitter account take a harder stance, like a check-list somewhere of conservative, hot-button topics she must weigh in on:
"[House Enrolled Act] 1608, which passed this session, gives parents their God-given rights and authority when it comes to raising their children."
Source: Franklin Daily Journal on 2024 Indiana Gubernatorial race
Jun 12, 2023
Curtis Hill:
Guided by faith; strongly advocates for traditional values
Guided by his faith, Curtis strongly advocates for traditional values and conservative governance. From his early days as a county prosecutor to his successful tenure as attorney general,
Curtis has been a servant leader who has done the heavy lifting to defend and protect Hoosier values. Curtis is living the American dream.
Source: 2024 Indiana Gubernatorial campaign website CurtisHill.com
Dec 19, 2023
Eric Doden:
My values traced to faith, family, small town roots
Every one of us is shaped by our upbringing and our experiences. My conservative values can be traced back to my faith, family, and small town roots. Then, through my days attending
Hillsdale College, raising my own family, operating and starting businesses, and entering public service at the state and local level. Many Hoosiers share these common sense values.
Source: 2024 Indiana Governor campaign website DodenForIndiana.com
Dec 15, 2023
Curtis Hill:
Advocate for Hoosiers, not Washington lobbyists
Hoosiers are tired of the same old career politicians telling you they know better than you. On day one, Curtis will advocate for Hoosiers, not
Washington DC lobbyists or the Indianapolis establishment. As governor, Curtis will ensure Hoosiers are protected from federal overreach, and Curtis will answer to Indiana voters, not Washington, DC.
Source: 2024 Indiana Gubernatorial campaign website CurtisHill.com
Dec 19, 2023
Eric Holcomb:
Indiana Model rejects notion of Midwestern vowel state
I'd like to talk about something I call "The Indiana Model," which guides all the work we've been doing together to create lasting, generational change, on the very foundation laid by our pioneering predecessors. Already, it has enabled us to take
Indiana to the "Next Level." That's because The Indiana Model seeks excellence, rejecting any notion that a Midwestern "vowel state" would be content with mediocrity, and instead takes giant leaps, rather than baby steps.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to Indiana legislature
Jan 9, 2024
Marc Carmichael:
Former state legislator; retired trade association executive
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.A: Retired Indiana statewide trade association executive. Former state legislator having defeated the Republican Speaker of the Indiana House 59-41%.
Running in hopes of codifying Roe v Wade; getting military assault weapons off the streets; guaranteeing medical care to LGBTQ children via federal law; attacking climate change before it is too hot to live on
Earth; confirm qualified, fair, and impartial judges; better protect teachers and librarians from being political pawns and being killed on the job; no more political tax cuts for the rich; lower drug costs and adequate medical care in the rural areas;
properly taking care of our veterans, active personnel and their families; creating good paying jobs with benefits; and, reschedule marijuana from Schedule 1 to 3.
Source: Candidate Connection on 2024 Indiana Senate race
Nov 1, 2023
Jennifer McCormick:
Criticized opponent's running mate as Christian nationalist
In a debate last week with Braun, McCormick brought up Beckwith's comment along with the fact Braun's campaign was using an ad with a digitally altered image of her. She called the "Jezebel spirit" rhetoric "extremism" that's "beyond the
Hoosier values," and she connected it to Beckwith calling himself a "Christian Nationalist." She also pushed Braun to admit those attacks were wrong and apologize, but he refused to do so on either account.
Source: Word & Way on 2024 Indiana Gubernatorial race
Oct 8, 2024
Page last updated: Feb 07, 2026