State Republicans Take Pastor Over Braun, Trump Pick

Indiana Republicans rejected Sen. Mike Braun's choice for lieutenant governor on Saturday, instead nominating a podcasting pastor with far-right views to be Braun's running mate. Braun, who is leaving the Senate, endorsed state Rep. Julie McGuire as his running mate when he became the GOP nominee for governor. Indiana delegates usually back the nominee's chosen running mate without a challenge. Donald Trump, who's also endorsed Braun, had made a surprise endorsement of McGuire on Thursday night, ahead of the convention, the AP reports.

But during Saturday's state Republican Party convention in Indianapolis, delegates instead chose pastor Micah Beckwith, who promotes uncompromising positions on abortion, gender, and sexuality and cohosts the "Jesus, Sex and Politics" podcast. The ultra-conservative Christian pastor had lobbied delegates for a year. Beckwith received the votes of 891 delegates, while McGuire got 828 votes, a party spokesperson said. Braun will now run with Beckwith against Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jennifer McCormick, a former state education chief, and Libertarian nominee Donald Rainwater. Democrats haven't won a statewide office in Indiana since 2012.

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