The Indiana Daily Student sent a list of questions to the candidates in elections in the region and state. Throughout the next week, we will be publishing the candidates’s responses.
Three candidates are running for Indiana governor this year. Eric Holcomb is the Republican incumbent. Democrat Woody Myers and Libertarian Donald Rainwater are running against him. The three participated in a televised debate Tuesday night.
Eric Holcomb (incumbent)
Holcomb is running for reelection as the Republican candidate for governor. He has served as Indiana's governor since 2016 and is the former chairman of Indiana Republican party. Holcomb was also the adviser, deputy chief of staff and 2008 campaign manager for former Gov. Mitch Daniels.
Holcomb did not respond to the IDS' questions.
Read past IDS coverage on Holcomb here.
Woody Myers
Myers the democractic challenger in the race. He is a physician who served as the Indiana State Health Commissioner from 1985 to 1990 and as New York City’s Health Commissioner from 1990 to 1991. He is also the owner of Myers Ventures.
How long should Indiana continue to require masks?
Indiana should continue to wear masks until the number of cases have dropped significantly and we meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requirements when released by the new Biden/Harris CDC Director for easing restrictions.
Are you prepared to close businesses again if need be?
Yes. Businesses did not have to suffer as much as they have during this pandemic. My opponent is withholding millions of dollars in federal relief funds instead of investing it in our communities and businesses now to help stabilize our economy. We should use those funds to support Indiana’s businesses while ensuring that we minimize the spread and keep the public safe.
What’s your top priority if elected?
Indiana needs new leadership that puts people first, not politics, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. My top priority is to lead Indiana safely though the health and economic recovery we face. I will make decisions based on science and the best information available to keep Hoosiers safe as our economy recovers, all the while fighting to ensure that all Hoosiers can access affordable health care, students receive a high-quality education, we protect our environment, and workers have good-paying jobs across Indiana. We need to build an economy that provides opportunity for our college students to start a career, a family and their future here in Indiana.
Do you support reallocating police funds to other services?
I support investing in our communities so that there are fewer opportunities for negative interactions with law enforcement. We should reallocate a portion of our tax dollars to utilize intersectional approaches in public safety. We can put more funding in the hands of local communities to prioritize their needs and expand investments in low-income neighborhoods and minority-owned businesses. By increasing economic opportunity, we can build community and generational wealth.
Do you support legalizing marijuana?
I support legalizing medical marijuana and decriminalizing minor possession charges.
What is the most important thing Indiana should do to address climate change?
We must reduce the effects of climate change on our residents and businesses. As a manufacturing-rich state, we use a lot of energy — most of it supplied by fossil fuels. Our state has a reputation as a big polluter, and that needs to change. We cannot continue to destroy our environment or prop up dying industries because we’re afraid of change. We can protect our environment by transitioning our workforce away from fossil fuels to good-paying jobs in renewable and sustainable energy sources.
As governor, I’ll update Indiana’s renewable energy standards and set a new clean energy goal to renew our commitment to a cleaner future. I’ll inventory our greenhouse gas emissions and develop realistic reduction targets just as 22 other states have done.
Read past IDS coverage on Myers here.
Donald Rainwater
Rainwater is the Libertarian candidate for governor. He served in the U.S. Navy for eight years and has spent the past 20 years in software engineering. He spent several years teaching computer courses and managing several small businesses, according to his website.
Rainwater did not respond to the IDS' questions.
Read past IDS coverage on Rainwater here.
The IDS voter guide includes candidates who are on the ballot in contested elections.
