Republicans lining up to replace Pence in governor's race

Their withdrawals closely followed Pence officially ending his gubernatorial re-election campaign at 10:05 a.m. Region time, once Donald Trump confirmed, via Twitter, that Pence will run on the national Republican ticket with him as vice president.

The Statehouse office of Republican Secretary of State Connie Lawson was packed with reporters from Hoosier and national media outlets as Holcomb and Rokita personally filed their CAN-24 forms.

Holcomb was first to arrive, just 10 minutes after Pence withdrew from the governor's race.

The Indianapolis native and Navy veteran who was appointed lieutenant governor March 3, following the resignation of Sue Ellspermann to become Ivy Tech Community College president, said he's running for the state's top job to continue the work Pence began. 

"Here in the state of Indiana, we've proven the principles on how to get a country, or a state, back on track and moving forward," Holcomb said, citing Indiana's record employment, low taxes and top credit rating.

Holcomb never has been elected to public office, losing a 2000 Indiana House race and dropping out of the GOP U.S. Senate primary this year when Pence chose him for lieutenant governor.

However, Holcomb was a top aide to former Gov. Mitch Daniels during his eight years in office, including serving as Daniels' 2008 campaign manager.

Holcomb said the problem-solving experience he gained working with the popular former governor, who now is president of Purdue University, makes him most qualified to replace Pence on the GOP ticket.

Rokita, a Munster High School graduate, former two-term Indiana secretary of state and three-term congressman for a district that includes Newton and Jasper counties, said he's been preparing a gubernatorial run since last week when it became clear Pence could be picked as Trump's vice president.

"I am running for governor because Indiana has made incredible progress the last 12 years," Rokita said. "We're going to beat John Gregg because this state cannot, cannot go back to the backwater it was before Republicans, starting with Mitch Daniels, took the reins."

Rokita has had a sometimes controversial tenure in Congress, including once suggesting that child refugees entering the United States from Central America could be carriers of the Ebola virus, which at the time was confined to Africa.

Nevertheless, Rokita proclaimed after filing his paperwork in his old office that he loves Indiana, loves every person in the state and intends to keep the Hoosier economy, jobs and state agencies all running well if he's elected governor.

"With less than four months to go until Election Day, Republicans need to nominate a proven winner with a record of executive and legislative success reflecting a positive agenda that Hoosiers can unite around," Rokita said.

Brooks did not comment on her nascent gubernatorial campaign. Instead, a Brooks aide delivered her paperwork to an auxiliary elections office in a building adjacent to the Statehouse.

The Carmel resident is a former six-year U.S. Attorney, appointed by President George W. Bush in 2001.

She also previously served as Indianapolis deputy mayor and the lawyer for Ivy Tech, prior to winning election to Congress in 2013 where she was a member of the House committee that investigated the 2012 terrorist attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya.

The 22-member Republican State Central Committee is scheduled to meet July 26 to pick a replacement for Pence on the general election ballot.

It also will pick a lieutenant governor candidate on August 1 since Holcomb gave up his nomination for that office.

Republicans who want to run for governor or lieutenant governor can file for committee consideration up to 72 hours before the selection meetings.

Other individuals reportedly considering a run for Indiana chief executive include State Auditor Suzanne Crouch, former Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard, state Sen. Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville, and Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke.

They did not have to file any documents with the secretary of state Friday since they are not up for election this year.

At the same time, there is a process by which Holcomb, Rokita and Brooks can reclaim the ballot slots they gave up to run for governor if not selected as the Republican candidate.

Though Holcomb said he's focused entirely on becoming governor and would not be interested in running for a full term as lieutenant governor, should he fail to win the nomination.

House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, who was expected to join the race for governor, said given the recent tumult in Indiana politics he's instead running for re-election to his House seat to ensure that a "tested, conservative leader" remains at the helm of the Legislature.

Daniels also has ruled out running for a third term as governor.

Gregg, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, said the GOP candidate switcheroo does not alter his plans to reach out to Hoosiers.

"This campaign has always been about Indiana’s future and who is best equipped to clean up the mess Mike Pence made," Gregg said. "I look forward to hearing from my opponents if they’ll continue his damaging policies or join me working to correct them."