2020-11-04T00:12:00Z - Indiana Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb is projected to win against Democratic challenger Woody Myers for governor, according to Insider and Decision Desk HQ.
- Polls in Indiana closed at 6 p.m. ET.
- Experts rated the race as solid Republican.
- See the live coverage and full results from the most competitive US elections.
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Indiana Republican Eric Holcomb won his reelection race against Democratic challenger Woody Myers for governor, according to Insider and Decision Desk HQ.
Polls in Indiana closed at 6 p.m. ET.
The candidates:
Holcomb has been governor since 2017. Before that, he served as lieutenant governor under then-Gov. Mike Pence. He's established a long career in the political sphere, previously as a staffer to members of Congress, a campaign adviser to former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and as chairman of the Indiana Republican Party.
He sought a second term focused on job growth, battling the pandemic, and building state infrastructure.
Myers, on the other hand, is a political newcomer. He's a doctor, and ran to address healthcare problems. Other issues in his platform were education and climate change. If elected, Myers would've become the first African American governor of Indiana.
The stakes:
Like most 2020 governor races around the US, the candidates had framed their agendas around the coronavirus. Many incumbents' reelection chances hinged on their pandemic response. The odds were in Holcomb's favor.
Hoosiers had praised the governor's handling of the public-health crisis, indicating he might cruise to victory on Election Day — and he did.
Indiana has long been considered a Republican stronghold. The party controls the governorship and the state legislature. The state also went for President Donald Trump in 2016.
The money race: Holcomb, with a fundraising total of $9 million, had a massive cash advantage against Myers, who raised slightly over $1 million, according to the latest campaign-finance data.
What the polls said: Holcomb held a wide double-digit lead over Myers before the election, according to polling averages from RealClearPolitics.
What the experts said: The race was rated solid Republican by Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, and Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia's Center for Politics.
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