GOP delegates betting on Beckwith

Beckwith

In a major upset, Noblesville pastor Micah Beckwith secured the Indiana Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor by a 63-vote margin at last Saturday’s GOP State Convention.

Despite being gubernatorial candidate Mike Braun’s pick and receiving an endorsement from Donald Trump, State Rep. Julie McGuire lost the convention vote 828 to Beckwith’s 891.

Delegates going against a governor’s or gubernatorial candidate’s recommendations is not unprecedented. In 2022, delegates voted for Diego Morales for Secretary of State, despite Gov. Holcomb tapping Holli Sullivan for that office.

Braun and Beckwith will now turn their attention to the Nov. 5 general election, where they will face Democrat Jennifer McCormick and Libertarian Donald Rainwater.

McCormick has yet to publicly state her own preference for Lieutenant Governor. The Democratic State Convention will be held in July.

According to the Article 5, Section 21 of the Indiana Constitution, “The Lieutenant Governor shall, by virtue of his office, be President of the Senate; have a right, when in committee of the whole, to join in debate, and to vote on all subjects; and, whenever the Senate shall be equally divided, he shall give the casting vote.”