INDIANAPOLIS – Republican gubernatorial nominee Mike Braun faces a “serious threat” to his candidacy after Noblesville pastor Micah Beckwith was selected as his running mate, according to an internal campaign memo penned by prominent conservative attorney Jim Bopp.
The five-page report, obtained by the Indiana Capital Chronicle Sunday evening, outlines “several negative effects” of Beckwith’s nomination, including concerns that Beckwith will cause “division and chaos” and “undermine” Braun’s leadership.
Chief among Bopp’s worries is that Beckwith could keep Braun out of the Statehouse altogether.
“Beckwith’s nomination as Lt. Gov poses a serious threat to the Braun candidacy, election, and administration,” Bopp wrote. He later said in the memo that “the Democrats have a real opportunity to launch a serious campaign in the fall because of Beckwith’s nomination, and it has already begun.”
The Terre Haute-based lawyer and staunch anti-abortion advocate theorized that current Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jennifer McCormick could be swapped out with Joe Donnelly, a former U.S. senator from Indiana, and she would be moved to the lieutenant governor spot on the ticket.
Bopp said the Democrats’ campaign “would focus almost exclusively” on Beckwith and his “radical” views. He pointed specifically to a video Beckwith made after the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, in which he said the assault was “divinely inspired.”
Bopp predicted “tens of millions would be spent” on “endless ads quoting and featuring” the radical pastor’s statements on that issue and others, forcing Braun to begrudgingly support or distance himself from Beckwith — either of which could sacrifice votes.
“By running against Beckwith, the Democrats will be able to raise unlimited funds from their left-wing allies and billionaire liberal supporters,” Bopp continued. “In taking down Beckwith, they take down Braun. And they will paint the whole ticket with this brush.”
When asked about the memo, Bopp told the Capital Chronicle in a statement that, “I do not discuss confidential communications with others. And I think it was despicable that someone leaked it.”
Josh Kelley, a senior advisor to Braun, separately told the Capital Chronicle that Bopp’s memo “represented his personal views, and there was no way that he implied otherwise.”
“Mike Braun is excited to lead the Indiana Republican Party with Micah Beckwith to historic victories in November,” Kelley said in a statement. “Braun remains focused on enacting a bold conservative agenda as governor and is excited to have Micah Beckwith as his partner to get the job done.”
Indiana’s GOP delegates narrowly named Beckwith as the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor in a shocking vote at the party’s convention Saturday, rebuffing first-term Rep. Julie McGuire — Braun’s handpicked choice for the role.
Beckwith ran an unorthodox solo campaign for the number two spot, publicly pitching himself as the prospective governor’s cheerleader and a check on his power.
Read the entire Casey Smith article for the Indiana Capital Chronicle, here.
