(The Center Square) – The race to replace Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb got a little more crowded Thursday as entrepreneur and former state Commerce Secretary Brad Chambers, according to media reports, filed for the 2024 election.
Chambers becomes at least the fifth Republican to seek the party’s nomination. A May 7 primary will determine the GOP’s nominee.
Speculation about Chambers’ future plans grew after he announced his departure from Holcomb’s cabinet a month ago. He served as the state’s top economic development official for two years and helped create record investment and job creation totals during his tenue.
“As Indiana’s secretary of commerce, the last two years, I have witnessed firsthand how important leadership, vision, urgency and aspiration are to the future of Indiana,” Chambers said in a statement. “I am running for governor because I want Hoosiers of today and Hoosiers of tomorrow to believe that Indiana offers an opportunity for an excellent life. I am ambitious in my vision for Indiana, and I look forward to talking with Hoosiers about the best way to continue making our state the envy of many.”
Chambers’ business background includes Buckingham Companies, which he founded 39 years ago while a student at Indiana University. That real estate investment firm manages more than $3 billion in assets.
Besides Chambers, other Republicans who have announced their intentions include Holcomb’s Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, former U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, former state Attorney General Curtis Hill and former Indiana Economic Development Corp. President Eric Doden.
Jennifer McCormick, a former state education superintendent, has filed to run for governor as a Democrat. She won the election for the state’s top school official as a Republican in 2016. Bob Kern, who has run unsuccessfully for Indianapolis mayor and several state and federal offices, also plans to run for the Democratic nomination.
Holcomb is finishing his second term in office and is ineligible for re-election next year. Earlier this week, he named IEDC COO David Rosenberg as Chambers’ successor.
