Holcomb tagged as Gov. Pence's lieutenant governor pick

Governor Mike Pence, flanked by Lieutenant Governor Sue Ellspermann and Eric Holcomb, gathers staff in the Governor’s Office before Tuesday’s press conference announcing the Governor’s intent to nominate Eric Holcomb as the 51st lieutenant governor of the state of Indiana. *Photo provided*

Today, Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann announced she would resign from the Lt. Governor’s office to pursue the position as president at Ivy Tech Community College.

Simultaneously, Governor Mike Pence also announced his intention to nominate Eric Holcomb as the next lieutenant governor of Indiana.

“It has been a special honor for me to serve alongside a great Governor and share in all that we have accomplished to benefit the people of Indiana,” said Lt. Gov. Ellspermann. “As I look forward to other opportunities for service, I am pleased that Eric Holcomb will become the next Lt. Governor. Eric has a distinguished record of service to his nation and his State. He understands State government from his work as Governor Daniels’ Deputy Chief of Staff and is ready to be a valuable partner with Governor Pence leading our State to even greater months and years ahead.”

He recently withdrew from running for the Republican nomination to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Dan Coats. He has served as Indiana Republican Party chairman and has been a top aide to Coats and former Gov. Mitch Daniels. In an announcement on his website Holcomb stated he had withdrew his name as a candidate for the United States Senate because he and his wife Janet felt he had “been called to serve our beloved state in a different capacity.”

Holcomb’s nomination must be approved by majority votes in the House and Senate.

“I’m pleased to announce my intention to name Eric Holcomb as my nominee for lieutenant governor for the state of Indiana,” said Governor Pence in a press release today. “I have known Eric for nearly 20 years, and his integrity, character, and experience make him uniquely qualified for this new role. He is a man of character and distinction and I am confident he will serve Hoosiers well as we continue our work to make Indiana a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

“I would like to thank Lt. Governor Ellspermann for her service and unmatched enthusiasm for our state. Sue has served Hoosiers and our administration with integrity and distinction. Throughout her tenure she steered numerous economic development initiatives including convening a Rural Broadband Working Group to pursue increasing internet connectivity throughout our state and leading an agricultural trade mission to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. She also served as Vice Chair of the Indiana Career Council.”

Under Indiana law, the lieutenant governor serves as President of the Indiana Senate and Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. The lieutenant governor also manages six state agencies including the State Department of Agriculture, Office of Community and Rural Affairs, Office of Tourism Development, Office of Defense Development, Office of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority. Additionally, the lieutenant governor chairs the Indiana Counter Terrorism and Security Council.

Statement from Ellspermann

Lt.-Gov.-Ellspermann-2015 — Ellspermann.

Over the past three and one half years, I have had the special honor to serve my fellow 6.5 million Hoosiers as their Lieutenant Governor serving alongside a great Governor and friend Mike Pence. He invited me to be his partner on this journey and I am so very proud of all that we have accomplished to benefit the people of Indiana.

In each of our lives, not everything lines up in perfect timing. In my case, the unique opportunity to apply for the office of President at Ivy Tech presented itself. As previously stated, I was approached by friends of Ivy Tech about the position to which I gave thoughtful consideration. I then took this opportunity to the Governor and we agreed that this might be an even better “seat on the bus” for me as leading Ivy Tech could impact workforce development and the economic future of our state in a very significant way.

The Governor and I fully respect the careful process that the Ivy Tech Trustees are following to make this critically important decision. In the same way, I respect the needs of governing through transition, the responsibility of the Legislature, and the election process. For those reasons, I have decided that now is the appropriate time to plan my transition out of the office of Lieutenant Governor.

I am pleased that Governor Pence has selected Eric Holcomb as his recommendation to succeed me as Lieutenant Governor. Eric has had a distinguished career in public service with two of Indiana’s outstanding leaders. He understands State government from his work as Governor Daniel’s deputy chief of staff and the Federal government as Senator Coats’ state chief of staff. Further, his service in the Navy demonstrates his commitment to our nation. I look forward to working with Eric as we implement a seamless transition over the coming weeks.

I am grateful to Hoosiers and Governor Pence for entrusting me with the office of Lieutenant Governor and its statutory responsibilities. The opportunity to serve this great state of Indiana has been a true honor and one that I pass along with great pride and even higher expectations to Eric Holcomb.