MERRILLVILLE — Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith puts on a good show.
Armed only with a microphone, the novice Republican officeholder held the attention of an occasionally combative audience of more than 100 people for nearly two hours Tuesday night inside a packed veterans hall and bar tucked into the northwest corner of Merrillville.
The performance was as simple as the surroundings — Beckwith answered questions.
There was no preamble, no biographical introduction, no Pledge of Allegiance. Just an elected official listening to his constituents and responding with his honest opinion, even, or maybe especially, when he knew it wasn't what they wanted to hear.
Afterward, Beckwith acknowledged that he's an outlier at a time when a lot of federal and state Republican politicians opt only to speak in prepared sound bites to favorable audiences, and many outright refuse to hold town hall-style meetings, fearing they may create a viral social media moment.
But the No. 2 Indiana official insisted in-person engagement is essential because he believes "that's how we are called to steward this republic that has been passed down to us."
"Passionate debate has been around since the beginning of our nation. You know, we're going to have people that disagree. By the way, we saw duels happen, right? Thank God we don't live in a society where we say duels are OK anymore. I think we've come a long ways. When people get passionate, when people yell, when people are saying, 'Hey, I believe this,' I think that's a good thing. And as long as we can keep it to the point where we say, 'Hey, at the end of the day we're still human, we're still all made in the image of God,' I think we're going to have a very, very bright future," Beckwith said.
Ironically, Beckwith isn't in a position to do much on the issues raised at his town hall. His strained relationship with Republican Gov. Mike Braun, who didn't want Beckwith as his running mate last year, often freezes the lieutenant governor out of key state decisions.
Though that also frees Beckwith to speak his mind. And he didn't hold back Tuesday calling the Braun-backed property tax law changes in Senate Enrolled Act 1 a "dumpster fire," vociferously opposing Braun's plan to toll interstate highways because "we're already taxed enough as it is," demanding the governor-appointed members of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission be replaced by individuals elected by Hoosiers and calling to pause the collection of Indiana's 7% sales tax on utility bills to give ratepayers a break.
"The Republican Party has done a terrible job on lowering taxes and lifting the financial burden and keeping government limited all around the state," Beckwith said. "And it's hurting people like you. I see it all over the state; it's not just Lake County. So to my Republican friends, we have to do a better job of doing what we promised, which is lowering taxes and keeping government limited, and not intruding in every nook and cranny of your life."
That said, Beckwith remains a committed Republican and even supports calls by President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance for an immediate redrawing of Indiana's congressional district boundaries — especially Northwest Indiana's 1st Congressional District — in the hope of creating more Republican-leaning seats in "red" states to preserve the slim GOP majority in the U.S. House.
"My position is that Republican principles are better for everybody," Beckwith said. "And here's my unsolicited advice to Democrats in the room: If you would like to start winning elections, stop doubling down on stupid social progressive ideals and talk about things that matter to Hoosiers. You don't even know what bathroom kids should use in the public schools. How are you going to get to tax policy?"
Beyond partisan politics, Beckwith said he's optimistic about the economic prospects of Northwest Indiana as a whole, and Gary in particular.
"I think Gary has the potential to be one of the most awesome places in Indiana. I think there's an economic renewal that's right on the precipice of happening. I think it would take things like getting the airport going. I think it would take things to say, 'Hey, what can we do from a state level to draw some economic development that actually is smart and wise for this area,'" Beckwith said.
"I've been up to Lake County probably more than any other place in the entire state since I've been lieutenant governor. I come up here a lot. Because I really believe in what's happening up here."
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