Indiana race for governor transformed by Pence withdrawal

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Democrat John Gregg ran for Indiana governor hoping to beat Republican incumbent Mike Pence in a rematch of their 2012 contest. But after Pence quit the campaign to become Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate, Gregg shifted gears to GOP replacement Eric Holcomb and has tried to tar him with Pence’s policies such as the state’s much-criticized religious objections law.

Gregg appealed to Hoosier voters by saying he would steer clear of the nation’s culture wars in his bid to end 12 years of Republican control of the governor’s office.

As a former Indiana House speaker, Gregg started out better known than Holcomb, who has never been elected to office and only became Pence’s lieutenant governor eight months ago.

Holcomb was forced to sprint around the state introducing himself to voters.