V23, N39 Thursday, May 31, 2018 HPI Interview: Braun recounts his victory Senate nominee says early strategy, late-breaking undecideds validated his statewide strategy By BRIAN A. HOWEY INDIANAPOLIS – Less than a month ago, Mike Braun won a fascinating three-way U.S. Senate primary over two established con- gressmen, setting up what will be a marquee race that could deter- mine control of the upper cham- ber. The Jasper businessman took his corporate acumen, the early mechanics was asked about the optics of his “two cardboard cutouts” of his General Assembly races, and applied them to his ads he aimed at Reps. Luke Messer and Todd Rokita dur- first statewide campaign. A huge pool of undecided voters ing the final debates of the primary. “I don’t know if I ever broke his way, validating a strategy that he executed with told you, but I had a blue blazer and a red tie that I was uncanny precision. Continued on page 3 In an HPI Interview Wednesday morning, Braun Awake with the what ifs? By BRIAN A. HOWEY FREMONT, Ind. – We’ve all had that feeling of veering in heavy traffic and just missing a major collision. If your family was strapped in behind you, it’s the kind of memory that gnaws at you late at night. “I am even more convinced that What if? What if there had been a cement truck com- the FBI did exactly what my fel- ing up on the lane I swerved to? What if one of the kids had un- low citizens would want them to strapped a seatbelt unbeknownst do when they got the information to me? That’s the feeling Hoosier they got, and that it has nothing leaders and citizens should be to do with Donald Trump.” feeling in the wake of the West Middle School shooting in Nobles- - U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy, on ville last Friday. A typical 13-year- old girl named Ella Whistler Fox News, refuting the went to school and ended up at ‘spygate’ claim by Trump Page 2 Riley Hospital after suffering gunshot in firearms. There are more guns in wounds. the United States than people. There Since 2011, she’s the third have been 23 school shootings in the Hoosier student to go to school in the first 21 weeks of this year to date, morning only to be shot and taken resulting in at least 34 deaths. Dozens away later that day in an ambulance. more have been wounded. The other two shootings happened The $5 million for school at Lawrence North High School and safety the General Assembly and Gov. Howey Politics Indiana Martinsville High School, in districts Holcomb finalized earlier this month is represented by Speaker Brian Bosma a tiny down payment to confront the WWHowey Media, LLC 405 and incoming Senate President Pro reality of regular school shootings in Massachusetts Ave., Suite Tem Rodric Bray, respectively. America. Noblesville students de- 300 Indianapolis, IN 46204 Ella’s teacher, former scribed the scene on Friday as sheer www.howeypolitics.com Southern Illinois University defensive “chaos.” A parent told WTHR-TV, “This end Jason Seaman, was shot three is a war on our kids.” times while tackling the teenage But to “harden” a single Brian A. Howey, Publisher shooter. The shooter brought guns Indiana high school could cost a fifth Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington from his home to Cameron Carter, Editor school. Police had Joel Weyrauch, Editor been called to his Mary Lou Howey, Editor residence several times prior to the Mark Curry, Daily Wire, photo shooting on reports Jack E. Howey, Editor he had guns. Emeritus There are many ques- tions: How did Subscriptions this teenager HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 have access to the HPI Weekly, $350 guns he brought HPI Mobile, $5.95 monthly to school? Did the Ray Volpe, Account Manager parents have them secured? Did police 317.602.3620 inform school of- email: [email protected] ficials the shooter had been investi- gated for having guns? of that $5 million. Without more state Contact HPI Gov. Eric Holcomb returned funding, Hoosier property taxpayers [email protected] Friday from Europe and said Indiana is need to gird for higher taxes as more Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 on the “right path” for secure schools, school districts seek security referen- Washington: 202.256.5822 coming after he signed legislation ear- dums. Business Office: 317.602.3620 lier this month making $5 million avail- And there are more complex able to secure schools. “The training questions that should keep Hoosier and practice that you hope you never policy makers awake at night: What © 2018, Howey Politics need kicked into place,” Holcomb said, if the teenage shooter had chosen Indiana. All rights reserved. praising educators, students and first a classroom with a petite 5-foot-1 Photocopying, Internet forward- responders. “Because of it, lives were teacher as opposed to one with a ing, faxing or reproducing in saved, and we can be a model for 6-foot-6 former Division I defensive our nation. I just want you to know end? any form, whole or part, is a the State of Indiana and all of our We would be talking about violation of federal law without resources are here every step of the West Middle School in the same sen- permission from the publisher. way.” tences with schools in Parkland, Fla., Hoosier parents are now and Santa Fe, Tex., where 27 teachers demanding “hardened” schools, which and students were murdered and doz- will come at a big cost to taxpayers. ens others injured over the last three Consider it a payment to protect un- months. We came very close to that fettered gun rights in a nation awash kind of tragedy, and that reality seems Page 3 very far from the “right path.” Brooks tweeted that the shootings are “something no one Hoosier leaders have much work to do in the com- should ever have to go through, especially children.” Fol- ing months. lowing last week’s Texas school massacre, Brooks said, “I I spent the weekend up in Northeastern Indiana am working with my colleagues in Congress to do more, lake country and talked with a dozen or so students from because more must be done to prevent the loss of inno- Fort Wayne Northrop, Carroll, Leo and Huntington high cent lives.” The preamble to the U.S. Constitution, written schools and middle schools. Do they believe a shooting is before the 2nd Amendment, promises “domestic tranquil- possible in their school? The unanimous answer was yes. ity.” More must be done. Yes, Congresswoman, how true They talked about monthly “active shooter” that is. drills, like today’s adult leaders practiced fire or tornado Our classrooms are targets of lethal violence. Fol- drills back in a more innocent time. Now when there’s a lowing the Parkland, Fla., shooting on Feb. 14, I watched fire alarm at school, students wonder if it’s a prelude to with incredulity as some 30 Hoosier students and adults massacre. were arrested for making threats to schools over the next And solutions? Some suggested metal detectors at two weeks. Nothing like that had occurred following other school entryways. They noted that judges and lawmakers school massacres. It was as if a contagion had been re- are protected and wondered why students aren’t. They leased. were incredulous that shooters could enter buildings with I suggested to friends and colleagues we’d be guns and knives. Others said parents of shooters gaining witnessing another massacre within a month. It took two access to guns at homes should face the same charges as months for Santa Fe to be seared into the national con- the perps. sciousness. The West Middle School shooting barely made Asked if they had faith in leaders restoring secu- a ripple in national coverage, because, apparently two in- rity confidence in their schools and that brought a painful nocents wounded in a school isn’t enough blood to lead on laugh. the network news or break into constant cable coverage. The 21st-century political culture is partly to Yes, folks, we dodged bullets and body bags last blame. Our leaders have been paralyzed in their response week in Indiana. Solutions will be illusive, complicated, out of fidelity to the National Rifle Association. controversial and expensive. And the “what ifs?” should be In the wake of the shooting, U.S. Rep. Susan keeping all Hoosier stewards awake at night. v during the final five weeks of the primary campaign. What Mike Braun, from page 1 was your strategy for that period? instructed to wear and I decided not to put it on,” Braun Braun: Early on, the strategy was to get out early said. “That was my own decision without checking with when it looked like the competition was dismissing my my team before I went on stage for that first debate. If chances. I made an executive decision to start advertising one thing symbolized the difference in November, December, January and between my campaign and theirs, February. and I think even Joe Donnelly’s here HPI: Yes, you laid that all out in the general, I’m coming from the when we traveled in March. practical lane of living conservatism in Braun: You know that. Through the trenches, building a business and the stretch, I wanted to make sure all the lessons that come along with we had the resources to continue the that.” message when it was clear in early to Braun said that he expected mid-April when both of my opponents the undecided voters to break along were turning their attention to me, the lines of internal polling, and was and I think we did that.