Banks considering run for Braun Senate seat in Indiana

Indiana Rep. Jim Banks (R) said Monday he is “strongly considering” running for Indiana Sen. Mike Braun’s (R) seat in 2024 after Braun announced he will instead launch a campaign for the state’s governorship.

Braun had previously filed paperwork to run in Indiana’s governor’s race and on Monday made a formal announcement at a steakhouse event.

“Indiana deserves a proven conservative to continue Senator Braun’s work in the United States Senate,” Banks said in a statement. “I am strongly considering running for the open Indiana Senate seat in 2024, and I will spend the upcoming holidays praying and talking with my wife, family and close friends about how I can best serve Indiana.”

Banks, who was first elected to the House in 2016, currently chairs the Republican Study Committee.

He ran to serve as majority whip in the upcoming Congress but ultimately lost to Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) in a closed-door conference vote last month.

“Senator Braun has been a reliable and strong conservative in the Senate and I’m grateful for all he has done for our state over the past four years,” Banks said on Monday. “I am confident that he will continue to champion Hoosier values in the next stage of his public service career.”

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R), whom Braun is seeking to replace in 2024 since Holcomb is term-limited, has left the door open for running for the Senate seat, WISH reported last week.

Rep. Victoria Spartz (Ind.) previously told fellow Republicans that she would also run for Braun’s Senate seat if he follows through with a gubernatorial run, Politico reported in September.

Whichever candidate wins the state’s Senate primary is likely to go on to win in November 2024 in the reliably conservative state.

Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) won the state by 21 percentage points in his reelection race last month.