Mike Braun facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike Braun
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Official portrait, 2019
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| 52nd Governor of Indiana | |
| Assumed office January 13, 2025 |
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| Lieutenant | Micah Beckwith |
| Preceded by | Eric Holcomb |
| United States Senator from Indiana |
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| In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Joe Donnelly |
| Succeeded by | Jim Banks |
| Member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the 63rd district |
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| In office November 5, 2014 – November 1, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Mark Messmer |
| Succeeded by | Shane Lindauer |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Michael Kent Braun
March 24, 1954 Jasper, Indiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican (2012–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Democratic (before 2012) |
| Spouse | Maureen Braun |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Steve Braun (brother) |
| Residence | Governor's Residence |
| Education | Wabash College (BA) Harvard University (MBA) |
| Website | |
Michael Kent Braun (born March 24, 1954) is an American businessman and politician. He is set to become the 52nd governor of Indiana in 2025. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Before becoming governor, he served as a U.S. Senator for Indiana from 2019 to 2025. He was also a representative in the Indiana House of Representatives from 2014 to 2017. In 2018, Braun won the election for the U.S. Senate. He defeated the Democratic Senator Joe Donnelly. In 2024, he was elected governor. He won against Democratic candidate Jennifer McCormick and Libertarian candidate Donald Rainwater.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mike Braun was born in Jasper, Indiana, on March 24, 1954. He went to Jasper High School. He was a talented athlete in three different sports. He married his high school sweetheart, Maureen.
Braun attended Wabash College, an all-male school. He studied economics and graduated with high honors. Later, he earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard Business School.
Business Career
After finishing his studies, Braun returned to Indiana. He joined his father's business, which made truck bodies for farmers. In the mid-1980s, the economy was tough for farmers. His father's business almost failed.
Braun helped the company by changing its focus to selling truck accessories. This new direction helped the business grow a lot. It went from having 15 employees to more than 300. In 1986, Braun and Daryl Rauscher bought Meyer Body Inc. This company made truck bodies and sold truck parts. In 1995, Braun became the full owner. The company was renamed Meyer Distributing in 1999. Braun is currently its president and CEO.
Early Political Career
Braun started his political career by serving on the Jasper School Board. He was a member of the board from 2004 to 2014.
He then served in the Indiana House of Representatives. He represented Indiana District 63 from 2014 to 2017. Braun left the state House on November 1, 2017. He did this to focus on his campaign for the U.S. Senate.
U.S. Senate Service
2018 Election for Senate
Mike Braun won the Republican primary election for the United States Senate in 2018. He defeated U.S. Representatives Todd Rokita and Luke Messer. Braun received over 208,000 votes, which was about 41% of the total. He ran his campaign as an "outsider," highlighting his background in business.
In the general election in November, Braun defeated the Democratic Senator Joe Donnelly. Braun received 51% of the votes, while Donnelly received 45%. The Libertarian candidate, Lucy Brenton, received less than 4%.
Time in the Senate
On January 3, 2019, Mike Braun officially became a U.S. Senator for Indiana. Vice President Mike Pence swore him in.
In May 2019, Braun was one of eight senators who voted against a large aid package. This package was for states and territories affected by hurricanes, floods, and fires. Braun believed this aid process was "another path for runaway spending." Even with his opposition, the package was approved.
Braun supported President Trump's decision to remove American troops from northern Syria in October 2019. After this, Turkey launched a military offensive against the American-allied Kurds in that area. Braun called Trump "smart" for his decision.
In May 2020, Senator Chuck Schumer proposed a plan to release guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These guidelines were about how to safely lift restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Braun blocked this plan. He said the CDC's recommendations would harm the economy.
On October 26, 2020, Braun voted to approve Judge Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court. He praised her qualifications.
After Joe Biden won the November 2020 election, Braun initially did not accept the results. He supported claims of election problems. On January 2, 2021, Braun and 10 other Republican senators announced they would vote against counting electoral votes from some states. This was an attempt to change the election outcome.
During this process, a group of people attacked the U.S. Capitol. After the attack, Braun changed his mind. He tweeted that he would withdraw his objection and vote to count the electoral votes. The South Bend Tribune newspaper called his change of mind "too little, too late." The Democratic Party of Indiana asked Braun to resign.
In 2022, it was reported that Braun would run for governor of Indiana in 2024. The current Republican governor, Eric Holcomb, could not run again due to term limits.
Senate Committees
During his time in the Senate, Braun was part of several important committees:
- Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
- Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research
- Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
- Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety
- Committee on the Budget
- Special Committee on Aging
2024 Indiana Governor Campaign
On November 30, 2022, Braun officially announced his campaign for governor of Indiana. He had been expected to run for the office.
Donald Trump supported Braun's campaign. Braun won the Republican primary election on May 7, 2024. On May 8, he announced his choice for lieutenant governor, State Representative Julie McGuire. However, in June, delegates at the Republican state convention chose Micah Beckwith as the nominee for lieutenant governor instead.
On September 30, 2024, Braun's campaign released an advertisement. It showed an altered image of his Democratic opponent, Jennifer McCormick. The image made it look like she was leading a rally with signs saying "No Gas Stoves." The original image showed people holding "McCormick for Governor" signs. Later that day, the campaign released an updated ad. It included a note saying that an altered image was used, which followed the law.
Political Views
The American Conservative Union gave Braun a high rating for his conservative views in 2020.
Views on Marriage
Braun has stated that the U.S. Constitution protects against discrimination based on race. He has also said he believes in traditional marriage.
Donald Trump
According to FiveThirtyEight, Mike Braun voted with Donald Trump's positions most of the time. This was during Braun's first two years in the Senate.
During Trump's first impeachment, Braun was a strong supporter of Trump. He voted to clear Trump of the charges. Braun said he did not believe Trump's actions were wrong. He also said Trump wanted to reduce corruption in Ukraine. After Trump was cleared, Braun said he hoped Trump "learned something" from the trial.
2020 Election Views
After Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, Trump claimed there were problems with the election. Braun supported these claims. He wrote an article criticizing the media for not taking voter fraud accusations seriously. However, there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election.
Braun initially planned to object to the counting of electoral votes from some states. This was an attempt to change the election results. But after the attack on the U.S. Capitol, Braun changed his mind. He voted to count the electoral votes. He said he "didn't feel comfortable with today's events."
In Trump's second impeachment trial, Braun voted to clear Trump of charges related to the Capitol attack. In May 2021, Braun did not vote on creating a special group to investigate the January 6 Capitol attack.
Economy
Braun supported the Republican Party's tax law in 2017. He said the tax changes would not affect government income. However, some experts believed the law would increase U.S. debt. Braun has also called for cuts to the U.S. budget. He believes the U.S. "has a spending problem."
Environment
Braun describes himself as someone who cares about protecting the environment. He has called Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg an "inspiration." He believes the Republican Party should do more to address climate change. He did not support the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. However, he supports using reforestation (planting new trees), carbon pricing, and carbon capture to reduce carbon dioxide.
He also leads the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus. This group works on climate issues. Braun sponsored a bill called the Growing Climate Solutions Act. This bill would make it easier for farmers to sell carbon credits.
Trade
In 2018, Braun supported Trump's trade policies. He said they had "yielded phenomenal results." Before this, he had supported policies that allowed for more open trade.
Braun voted in favor of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement. This is a trade agreement between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
Health Care
Braun does not support the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. He supports efforts to get rid of it. He wants "free-market competition" and "market-driven" solutions for health care. During his 2018 Senate campaign, he criticized his opponent for supporting Obamacare. Braun has said he supports keeping protections for people with preexisting conditions. These protections are a popular part of the ACA.
Immigration
Braun believes that "building the wall must be the first step" to solving issues with illegal immigration. He does not support a way for undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as minors to become citizens. These individuals are often called DREAMers.
COVID-19 Pandemic
In September 2021, Braun spoke against a plan for companies to require COVID-19 vaccines for employees. He called it a major overreach by the government. In October 2021, he invited Chicago police officers who were suspended for not getting vaccinated to work in Indiana. He said many departments in Indiana were hiring.
Personal Life
Mike Braun is married to Maureen Braun. They have four children. He is a Catholic. Mike Braun's brother, Steve Braun, also served as a politician in Indiana.
Images for kids
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Official portrait, 2019
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Braun campaigning in Greenfield, Indiana
See also
In Spanish: Mike Braun para niños
