INDIANA — Indiana Republicans rejected Sen. Mike Braun’s choice for lieutenant governor on Saturday, instead nominating a podcasting pastor with far-right views as his running mate.
Braun, who is leaving the Senate, endorsed state Rep. Julie McGuire for his running mate when he became the GOP nominee for governor. Indiana delegates usually back the nominee’s chosen running mate without a challenge.
But during Saturday’s state Republican Party convention, party delegates instead chose Pastor Micah Beckwith, who promotes uncompromising positions on abortion, gender, and sexuality and cohosts his “Jesus, Sex and Politics” podcast. The ultra-conservative Christian pastor lobbied delegates for a year to win the nomination at the convention.
Indiana Republican Party spokesperson Griffin Reid said Beckwith received 891 delegates’ votes, while McGuire got 828 delegates’ votes.
