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Braun makes it official

U.S. Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) cited high health care prices, the state’s poor infant and maternal mortality rates, education and salary raises for the state police during his gubernatorial campaign launch event.
U.S. Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) cited high health care prices, the state’s poor infant and maternal mortality rates, education and salary raises for the state police during his gubernatorial campaign launch event.

U.S. Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) said he’s running for governor to make Indiana a leader for “freedom, opportunity and prosperity.”

The Republican  officially launched his gubernatorial bid Monday.

Braun is in the middle of his first term in the U.S. Senate. Prior to that, the southern Indiana native was a state legislator for three years and served a decade on a local school board.

His campaign launch was at a high-end steakhouse in downtown Indianapolis. Speaking to a group of major GOP donors and supporters, Braun said he’ll “engage all of you” to help him understand what the issues are.

“When you look at the issues that I think are important to most Americans, most Hoosiers, I’m going to weigh in on them," Braun said. "And I’m going to do it in a way that is entrepreneurial and going to maybe push the envelope a little bit.”

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Braun specifically cited  high health care prices, the state’s  poor infant and maternal mortality rates, education and salary raises for the state police.

Braun is part of a Republican primary race that includes  Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and Fort Wayne  businessman Eric Doden.

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

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.