Report: Mitch Daniels to be next Purdue University president

Purdue’s media relations office could not confirm or deny the report when asked, because the university runs a “closed search by design,” in order to attract candidates who might not want to reveal they are exploring the option. Until a finalist is presented to Purdue’s Board of Trustees on Thursday, only the search committee should know the name.

If the report — which is attributed to anonymous sources — is true, Daniels’s new job would take him out of contention to be Mitt Romney’s running mate, and could delay a possible run for the White House. Daniels chose not to run for the GOP nomination this year, citing his family as his reason, but has remained a popular choice for conservatives.

{mosads}The Purdue Board of Trustees plans to vote on their choice of president Thursday morning, with an announcement following the livestreamed event. WISH-TV reported that the board would be voting on Daniels. The search and final decision by the university’s 14-member search committee was reportedly a well-guarded secret, despite speculation over other names in the past.

Daniels, who is concluding his second term as governor, would replace the university’s current and retiring president, France Cordova.

Updated at 12:20 p.m.