INDIANA CAPITAL CHRONICLE BY: NIKI KELLY – JUNE 19, 2025
First-term Gov. Mike Braun told reporters that he doesn’t know where the presidential interest rumor came from, saying he’s focused on his current job. (Niki Kelly/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
Gov. Mike Braun said Thursday he has no idea who came up with the swirling rumor that he is interested in a presidential run.
“That’s had nothing to do with anything I’ve said,” Braun told the Indiana Capital Chronicle. “I’m concentrating on being governor, and have no interest in that.”
Politico’s Adam Wren first reported that the Indiana GOP governor was privately discussing the idea of mounting a presidential run in 2028, citing three unnamed sources.
“Don’t know who came up with that,” Braun said.
Prior to his inauguration in January, Braun was one of Indiana’s two senators in Washington D.C. But the one-term congressman seemed to have little interest in returning to the nation’s capital.
The Capital Chronicle asked Braun about the idea after he spoke to Future Farmers of America students at a state convention in West Lafayette.
“I get asked that often by people that are good supporters, especially from the time I spent out in the Senate. But when I came back here and gave up another term there, this was about a job that looks like you’re going to get a lot more done with the time that you’re spending at it.”
In a press availability Thursday afternoon Braun doubled down, questioning the source of the rumor.
“I’m focused on being the most entrepreneurial governor we’ve got in this country … I’m focusing on this job and I think we’ve got a lot done,” Braun said. “… we’ve been doing things bolder than what most states would do and going after tough issues like health care, education (and) workforce. Doing things that others aren’t doing and that’s what I’m going to focus on.”
The 71-year-old is Indiana’s oldest governor and a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, who is term limited. He spent much of his time in the U.S. Senate criticizing the nation’s deficit. The wealthy businessman has spent his first months in office as governor trimming the state budget, trying to reform property taxes and focusing on health care regulations and laws.
Senior Reporter Whitney Downard contributed to this report.
