INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The chairs of Indiana’s Republican and Democratic parties said a handful of races could be a useful barometer for both the state and the country.

In interviews with News 8 for All INdiana Politics, Indiana Republican Party Chair Randy Head and Indiana Democratic Party Chair Mike Schmuhl both said they feel confident in their candidates’ chances of success, particularly at the top of the ballot.

Head said as far as he is concerned, a win on election night is a win regardless of vote margin. He said he’s watching a pair of races for the Indiana House of Representatives closely. House District 62, currently held by first-term Republican Rep. Dave Hall, includes Brown County and portions of Monroe and Jackson counties. Hall won the seat by less than 100 votes two years ago and faces a tough challenge from Democrat Thomas Horrocks.

“That’s going to be a good bellwether, I think, to tell us if we’re going to have a fantastic night or just a good night,” he said.

Head said he’s also watching House District 71, in Jeffersonville and Clarksville. Democrat Rita Fleming had held that seat for six years when she resigned suddenly this spring. Area Democrats caucused in Wendy Dant Chesser, who faces Republican Scott Hawkins as she tries to win a term of her own. Head says that district is a potential Republican pickup.

For his part, Schmuhl said he’s focused on breaking the Republican supermajority in the General Assembly, a feat that would require his party to flip four seats in the Indiana House. Even though it only takes a simple majority to override a governor’s veto, Schmuhl said reducing the supermajority to a simple majority would force GOP state lawmakers to work with Democrats on everything from legislation to basic daily functioning of the chamber. Schmuhl said to watch Hamilton County closely both for state house races there and for presidential election results. He said Democratic statewide candidates have done well there in recent years despite Hamilton County’s history as a Republican stronghold.

“These are places that are changing very rapidly, that are growing very rapidly,” he said. “These are people that, I think, reject Trump-style politics and want a national government, a state government, that is more focused on normal issues.”

The biggest surprise of Indiana’s 2024 election cycle was the selection of Micah Beckwith as Mike Braun’s running mate over Braun’s recommendation of Julie McGuire. Head said he wasn’t surprised once he saw the supporters and the well-organized operation Beckwith brought to the Indiana Republican Party convention in June. When asked about Beckwith’s recent comments about Haitian refugees in Logansport, among others, Head said he expects Beckwith will grow into the role of lieutenant governor.

“Mike Braun will make the overall policy for the things the executive branch needs to do and I’m very comfortable with Mike Braun doing that,” he said.

Schmuhl said Beckwith’s selection provided an opening for Democrats. He said Braun’s roughly 40 percent vote tally in the Republican primary suggested weakness among that party’s voters, especially after Beckwith joined. Democrats have spent months highlighting some of Beckwith’s past comments, including his recent remarks on Haitian refugees and old social media posts in which he claimed God told him to send the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

“Mike Braun didn’t select him, doesn’t want to campaign alongside him but he’s stuck with him, and so we need to make sure that Hoosiers know the full extent of the extremism within that ticket,” he said.

All INdiana Politics airs at 9:30 a.m. Sunday on WISH-TV.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — As part of a monthly “Morning Bell” series, News 8 spotlights local schools to showcase unique programs and opportunities.

For November, James Michaels, the new superintendent of the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired sat down for an interview.

Michaels, a former student of the school, is stepping into the role as superintendent after more than two decades since the last new appointment to the position.

Reflecting on his journey, Michaels shared that his connection to the Indiana School for the Blind runs deep. Born with cone-rod dystrophy, a congenital eye condition that results in progressive vision loss, Michaels attended public school initially, but he quickly realized he felt different from his peers.

“As a student, I had to sit closer to the board and hold my book closer to read,” Michaels said. “I didn’t want to be different, and I think most kids with disabilities feel that way. But then, when I found the Indiana School for the Blind, I realized I wasn’t so different after all. We all just have to do things in a slightly different way to reach our goals and live our dreams.”

The school provided a community of students facing similar challenges, smaller class sizes, and resources specifically designed for students with visual impairments. “That experience was powerful and helped me believe in myself,” Michaels said.

Now, Michaels has a unique opportunity to inspire the next generation of students and reinforce the message that they, too, can achieve anything they set their minds to. And this mission will soon have a new setting: the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired is set for a major upgrade.

The school, alongside the Indiana School for the Deaf, is about to undergo a significant renovation of its historic 63-acre campus on North College Avenue, where it has been located for nearly a century. The state-funded project will deliver a state-of-the-art facility for both schools over the next four years.

While construction is underway, the Indiana School for the Blind has temporarily relocated to Devon Avenue, where programs continue to run full speed. “We’re still moving forward with all of our programming and have some wonderful things in store for our students,” Michaels said.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb and First Lady Janet Holcomb welcomed a new four-legged member to their family this week, a Miniature Schnauzer puppy named Oliver. 

Oliver, whose parents call him “Ollie” for short, is named after Oliver Morton, who was the first Indiana-born man to become governor of the Hoosier State and helped organize the Republican Party. Morton served as governor of Indiana from 1861 to 1867.

Since meeting his new family, Ollie has met Topper, Indiana’s First Cat, and is exploring the Indiana Governor’s Residence, according to Holcomb’s office. He is between eight and nine weeks old.

Ollie is the Holcomb family’s first dog since the passing of Henry Holcomb late last year at age 13. Henry was a popular figure, joining X when it was still called Twitter, and making appearances in parades, fundraisers and the engagement and wedding of one Republican couple who had known the Holcombs for years.  

From December 2023: First Dog Henry, Gov. Eric Holcomb’s miniature schnauzer, passes away at 13

Ollie introduced himself Thursday on Henry’s former X page, recognizing the Holcomb pup that came before him.  

“I am a little nervous because I know I have big paws to fill,” the post reads.  

IndyStar reporter Kayla Dwyer contributed to this story.

Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at brittany.carloni@indystar.com or 317-779-4468. Follow her on Twitter/X@CarloniBrittany.