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Big Election Victory Won't Impact COVID-19 Decision-Making

Gov. Eric Holcomb was sharply criticized from both his political left and right over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet he won a significant re-election victory.
Gov. Eric Holcomb was sharply criticized from both his political left and right over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet he won a significant re-election victory.

Gov. Eric Holcomb said his substantial reelection victory will have no impact on his decision-making around COVID-19.

Holcomb faced sharp criticism from both his political left and right over his handling of the pandemic. But he was also re-elected by a huge margin.

Holcomb said politics didn’t drive his decisions before the election and won’t now.

“The only campaign that we’re running here is a campaign to try to save lives and get through this,” Holcomb said.

READ MORE:  Indiana Sets Another COVID-19 Case Record

And Holcomb – as he has done for months – stressed the role of individual responsibility in addressing the pandemic.

“If we put this little, inexpensive piece of cloth and prevent the airborne transmission of this virus, we will be able to effectively, for the common good, individual by individual, slow the spread,” Holcomb said.

Holcomb repeated that he doesn’t believe reimposing statewide COVID-19 restrictions will effectively curb the virus’s spread.

Contact reporter Brandon at  bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

For the latest news and resources about COVID-19, bookmark our Coronavirus In Indiana page  here .

Brandon J. Smith has previously worked as a reporter and anchor for KBIA Radio in Columbia, MO. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, IL as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.