Indiana
Key moments from the first GOP debate for Indiana governor – Indianapolis Business Journal
All six Republican candidates for Indiana governor gathered onstage Monday night at The Palladium in Carmel’s Center for the Performing Arts and attempted to set themselves apart from the crowded field.
In a 90-minute debate hosted by Current Publishing, the candidates discussed topics including the future of education, the emergency powers of the governor, ballot initiatives and state versus local control. Just more than 500 people attended the event, which was free to attend but required an online reservation.
The candidates largely agreed on most issues. They were united on the importance of parental involvement in education, limiting the emergency powers of the governor and maintaining Indiana’s status as a state without ballot initiatives.
But they disagreed on which candidate would be best to implement a conservative agenda and they frequently took shots at their opponents.
U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, who has more than $4 million in cash on hand and the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, received the brunt of the critiques from his competitors.
Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, another top contender, fielded critiques for her time under Gov. Eric Holcomb. Former Commerce Secretary Brad Chambers defended his actions as head of the Indiana Economic Development Corp. as opponents criticized decision made involving the the LEAP Research & Innovation District in Boone County.
Curtis Hill, the former Indiana attorney general who in 2020 received a temporary law license suspension after a court ruled his alleged groping of four women at a work-related party constituted misdemeanor battery, focused on fighting far-left ideas. In his opening remarks, he said the nation is currently watching a “manipulation of justice, weaponization of race and sexualization of children.”
Eric Doden, a Fort Wayne businessman and former president of the Indiana Economic Development Corp., championed what he calls a “bold,” approach to redeveloping main streets to revitalize small towns.
Braun attacked as “career politician”
While Braun proudly cited his five years in the Senate as proof of a proven conservative record, his opponents took multiple opportunities at using it against him.
“I was marveling at the recitation of the wonderful things you’ve done in the Senate, and I applaud you for that,” Hill said. “Makes me wonder why you’re running for governor.”
“If you like me as senator, you’ll like me better as governor,” Braun responded.
Braun referred to chaos at Capitol Hill, stating that he will be more effective when he is able to set his own agenda.
Chambers brought up the point again in a later rebuttal, referring to earlier comments by Braun that targeted career politicians.
The pair went back and forth on how long Braun has served as a politician before Braun responded that he spent nearly 40 years building his business, Meyer Distributing, before running for U.S. Senate. He was a state representative for three years prior to his successful 2018 Senate campaign.
Crouch attacked for Holcomb administration decisions
Crouch touted the endorsement of hundreds of local officials and plans to “axe” the Indiana state income tax. For her opponents, her service alongside two-term limited Gov. Eric Holcomb made her a target.
Hill said the Holcomb/Crouch administration was responsible for shutting down schools and workplaces in a manner that was unnecessary during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Everybody on this stage is going to say ‘no more mass mandates, no more vaccination mandates,’” Hill said, “But, in 2020 as attorney general, I stood alone to fight back on mass mandates. We’ll do it again.”
Crouch said she supported Senate Bill 234, which limits the governor’s abilities to extend emergency powers. She defended her past support of pandemic restrictions by saying Hoosiers were lied to by the federal government and Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to the president.
She said she can’t go back and change the past, but would have no mask mandates or vaccine requirements. She attributed the lockdown to increases in the rate of mental illness among teens.
Chambers defends LEAP, IEDC
Chambers, the former head of the Indiana Economic Development Corp., received several short jabs due to his involvement in orchestrating the LEAP project.
Hill said the LEAP District is the state government “picking winners and losers” and criticized the Boone County project for its need to take water from neighboring Tippecanoe County.
Braun said Chambers “didn’t even get the water quotient figured out” during his three years leading the IEDC.
Doden called the project the kind of “top-down, state-driven approach” that is the opposite of community-based growth he says is needed in the state of Indiana.
Chambers defended the development by referring to its potential economic benefits, including investments exceeding a trillion dollars and thousands of jobs.
“The state of Indiana and the governor’s office need to lead in a global tech economy,” Chambers said.
He turned the water issue on Crouch and Doden, noting that even though they both were involved in state government, he was the first to authorize a water study.
CLOVERDALE, Ind. (WKRC) – Authorities in Indiana found a semi trailer loaded up with hundreds of pounds of suspected cocaine.
According to a statement issued by the Indiana State Police (ISP), 27-year-old Harmandeep Singh of Bakersfield, California was taken into custody after nearly 400 pounds of suspected cocaine were reportedly found in the trailer of a commercial truck.
Per the statement, an ISP trooper seized the suspected cocaine during a traffic stop on Interstate 70 in Putnam County, authorities said.
The stop occurred Tuesday morning near the 37-mile marker, just east of Cloverdale, after a commercial motor vehicle was observed exceeding the posted speed limit.
Police said Singh displayed several indicators of possible criminal activity during the encounter. After obtaining consent to search the vehicle, troopers discovered multiple duffel bags and cardboard boxes in the trailer containing approximately 392 pounds (178 kilograms) of suspected cocaine.
Authorities estimated the street value of the drugs at about $9 million.
Singh was taken into custody and taken to the Putnam County Jail, where he is being held on a $30,000 cash bond.
He faces the following preliminary charges, per the post:
- Possession of a narcotic drug
Formal charges will be determined by the Putnam County prosecutor.
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Indiana State Police said drug interdiction remains a priority, with troopers focusing on major highways to disrupt the flow of illegal narcotics into the state.
For many Hoosiers living in rural Indiana, accessing health care can mean driving 30 minutes or even an hour to see a doctor or reach the nearest hospital. As workforce shortages and financial pressures challenge rural hospitals across the country, ensuring access to care close to home has become one of the most important health-care issues facing our state.
About one in four Indiana residents live in a rural community, yet access to health-care services in many of these communities continues to shrink. Across the nation, rural hospitals and clinics report extremely thin operating margins and often say workforce shortages and rising costs make it difficult to sustain services such as primary care, maternity care and behavioral health.
When rural communities struggle to maintain health-care access, the impact doesn’t stay confined to small towns. It ripples across the entire health-care system, contributing to increases in chronic conditions, reduced preventative care for children, and worsening outcomes for the sickest patients.
Communities such as Greater Lafayette serve as a regional hub for care, with hospitals like IU Health Arnett caring for patients from surrounding counties across north-central and west-central Indiana. That role is something we are proud to fulfill. But when rural residents must travel long distances for care that should be available closer to home, it places increasing pressure on emergency departments, specialty clinics and inpatient services at larger regional hospitals.
In many cases, what might have been a routine appointment, preventive screening or early diagnosis in a local clinic becomes far more serious by the time a patient reaches a larger hospital. A missed screening can escalate into a medical emergency.
That reality makes strengthening rural health care more important than ever — not just for rural communities, but for the health of the entire state.
One of the most important steps we can take is investing in the next generation of health-care professionals who will care for these communities.
At IU Health, we are working directly with local schools and community partners to help build that workforce pipeline. Across the region, IU Health has partnered with the Greater Lafayette Career Academy and area school districts to introduce students to health-care careers earlier and provide hands-on learning opportunities that bring those careers to life.
Through these programs, students explore health-care pathways and earn certifications such as certified nursing assistant, medical assistant or emergency medical technician while still in high school. Many participate in job shadowing opportunities, clinical experiences and mentorship programs, giving them valuable exposure to the field before they graduate. In fact, since the first cohort in 2023, IU Health has extended job offers to more than 70 students.
The goal is simple but powerful: help students see that meaningful careers in health care exist in their own communities and create pathways that allow them to stay and serve those communities.
For rural health care, this approach is critical. Students who train and develop personal mentorship connections locally are far more likely to remain in the region after completing their education. By helping young people build skills and connections early, we can create a sustainable workforce that strengthens health-care access in both rural communities and regional centers, including Greater Lafayette.
Since launching the $200 million Community Impact Investment Fund in 2018, IU Health has invested more than $40 million in community grants supporting workforce development, education and school-based programs that build Indiana’s health-care talent pipeline. This includes funding for the Indiana Latino Institute, which placed Latino students in health-care internships, supported career pathways, and provided medical interpreter training and college coaching to communities across the state.
Our goal is to make Indiana one of the healthiest states in the nation, and this is one way we work toward that in partnership with our communities.
But workforce development is only part of the solution.
Strengthening rural health care will also require continued collaboration between health-care providers, educators, community leaders and policymakers. Expanding telehealth access, supporting rural hospitals and investing in primary care and behavioral health services are all critical steps toward ensuring patients can receive care close to home.
Greater Lafayette will always play an important role as a regional health-care center, providing specialized care and advanced services for patients across a broad region. But the long-term health of Indiana’s health-care system depends on maintaining strong local access points for care in rural communities.
When rural clinics and hospitals can provide preventive care, manage chronic conditions and connect patients with the services they need early, the entire system works better.
Patients receive care sooner, communities stay healthier and larger hospitals can focus on the complex cases they are designed to treat.
Healthy rural communities do not just benefit the towns where they are. They strengthen Indiana’s entire health-care system by ensuring that every Hoosier — no matter where they live — has access to the care and resources they need to live healthier lives.
When rural health care succeeds, all of Indiana benefits.
Gary Henriott is a lifelong resident of Lafayette and the retired CEO and Chairman of Henriott Group. He is the chair of the IU Health West Region board of directors and the Wabash Heartland Innovation Network, and president of Lafayette’s Board of Public Works and Safety.
INDIANAPOLIS (WKRC) — An Indianapolis mother is now facing criminal charges after her 2-month-old baby died in an apparent improper co-sleeping environment, according to investigators.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by FOX 59/CBS 4, police were called to an area hospital on Sept. 19, 2024, following the death of 27-year-old Brooklyn Davis’ son. The boy had been found unresponsive in his family’s home early that morning, and Davis attempted CPR before he was rushed to the hospital.
The affidavit says the boy had been sleeping on Davis’ bed with his 6-year-old brother. Davis later showed investigators a video showing the baby sleeping chest down on the 6-year-old’s chest.
An autopsy concluded the baby’s cause of death was “sudden explained death of an infant” with an intrinsic factor, which included being “placed to sleep in a queen-sized mattress being shared with a 6-year-old sibling, along with numerous blankets and other miscellaneous items; discovered unresponsive in a prone position with his face turned to the side and partially covered with a blanket.”
A report from the Department of Child Services (DCS) indicated the boy had no known health issues and that Davis ran an FSSA-licensed day care and has “extensive training on child care and safe sleeping environments.”
Davis had been known to DCS prior to the baby’s death. The boy had been born marijuana-positive and, on July 2, 2024, Davis had reportedly signed a “Safe Sleep Safety Plan,” acknowledging she understood that the safest places for her baby to sleep were in a crib, pack-and-play or bassinet and warned that co-sleeping places the baby at risk of suffocation and sleeping areas should be kept free of blankets, pillows and other items. The plan also included a provision that Davis not use marijuana while caring for her children, but she told investigators during an interview that, the morning of her baby’s death, she had gone downstairs to smoke marijuana and left the children alone upstairs.
Davis’ two other children were removed from the home, and interviews with them revealed that co-sleeping with the infant happened often.
Investigators say they attempted to contact Davis several times after talking to her children.
“She called me on February 18, 2025, and said she didn’t do anything wrong, her baby died of SIDS,” the detective wrote in the affidavit. “Brooklyn never came in for an additional interview.”
Court records indicate the case was filed in March 2026. Davis was booked into jail on April 1 on three counts of neglect of a dependent. An initial hearing was held on April 7, and a bail review hearing is planned for Monday.
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