Steven Braun

Steve Braun

Republican Party

Prior offices

Indiana House of Representatives District 24

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Elections and appointments

Last election

June 2, 2020

Steve Braun (Republican Party) was a member of the Indiana House of Representatives, representing District 24.

Braun (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Indiana's 5th Congressional District. He did not appear on the ballot for the Republican primary on June 2, 2020.

Braun suspended his campaign on October 7, 2019, stating, "During an annual check-up with my doctor in September, an issue was identified that requires me to step away from campaigning for 5th District for the next few months. I am both frustrated and disappointed to have to suspend my campaign at this critical juncture."

Braun died from cancer on November 18, 2022.

Biography

After his graduation from Harvard University, Braun joined Price Waterhouse before founding a software company, which he would later sell. In 1990, Braun founded technology consulting firm Braun Technology Group, which he sold in 2004. Braun was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 2012. He stepped down in 2014 after being nominated to serve as the head of the state's Department of Workforce Development by Gov. Mike Pence (R).

Committee assignments

2013-2014

At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Braun served on the following committees:

Indiana committee assignments, 2013
• Commerce, Small Business and Economic Development
• Ways and Means

Elections

2020

See also: Indiana's 5th Congressional District election, 2020

Indiana's 5th Congressional District election, 2020 (June 2 Republican primary)

Indiana's 5th Congressional District election, 2020 (June 2 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Indiana District 5

Victoria Spartz defeated Christina Hale and Ken Tucker in the general election for U.S. House Indiana District 5 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Victoria Spartz (R)	50.0	208,212
		Christina Hale (D)	45.9	191,226
		Ken Tucker (L)	4.0	16,788

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 416,226
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Vernon Moore (Independent)
• Ellen Kizik (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 5

Christina Hale defeated Dee Thornton, Jennifer Christie, Andy Jacobs, and Ralph Spelbring in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 5 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Christina Hale	40.8	30,123
		Dee Thornton	27.1	20,049
		Jennifer Christie	18.1	13,345
	Submit photo	Andy Jacobs	13.3	9,817
	Submit photo	Ralph Spelbring	0.8	575

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 73,909
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 5

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 5 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Victoria Spartz	39.7	34,526
		Beth Henderson	17.6	15,343
		Micah Beckwith	12.7	11,063
		Carl Brizzi	6.5	5,619
		Kent Abernathy	5.6	4,901
		Kelly Mitchell	5.3	4,643
		Chuck Dietzen	4.7	4,071
		Matthew Hook	2.5	2,147
		Andrew Bales	1.5	1,329
		Mark Small	1.2	1,057
		Danny Niederberger	0.8	675
		Victor Wakley	0.5	465
		Allen Davidson	0.5	411
		Russell Stwalley	0.4	379
		Matthew Hullinger	0.4	333

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 86,962
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Watch the Candidate Conversation for this race!

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Mark Jay (R)
• Steve Braun (R)
• Jeremy Miner (R)

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for U.S. House Indiana District 5

Ken Tucker advanced from the Libertarian convention for U.S. House Indiana District 5 on March 7, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Ken Tucker (L)

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2018

See also: Indiana's 4th Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Indiana District 4

Jim Baird defeated Tobi Beck in the general election for U.S. House Indiana District 4 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jim Baird (R)	64.1	156,539
		Tobi Beck (D)	35.9	87,824

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 244,363 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 4

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 4 on May 8, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tobi Beck	34.6	6,467
	Submit photo	Veronikka Ziol	21.1	3,938
		Joe Mackey	16.1	3,013
	Submit photo	Roger Day	12.4	2,324
	Submit photo	Roland Ellis	9.2	1,712
		Darin Patrick Griesey	6.7	1,249

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 18,703
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Sheryl Shipley (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 4

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 4 on May 8, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jim Baird	36.6	29,319
		Steve Braun	29.5	23,602
		Diego Morales	15.0	11,997
		Jared Thomas	10.5	8,435
		Kevin Grant	4.6	3,667
		James Nease	2.6	2,097
		Tim Radice	1.3	1,013

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 80,130
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Click [show] to view endorsements issued in this race.

Republican candidate endorsements Endorsement Date Braun Morales Baird State figures State Sen. Rick Niemeyer (R) April 25, 2018 ✔ State Rep. Heath VanNatter (R) April 25, 2018 ✔ State Rep. Sharon Negele (R) March 6, 2018 ✔ Former state Sen. Brandt Hershman (R) February 22, 2018 ✔ Former state Rep. Randy Truitt (R) February 22, 2018 ✔ State Sen. Randy Head (R) January 17, 2018 ✔ Former state Sen. Tom Weatherwax (R) January 17, 2018 ✔ Former state Rep. Rich McClain (R) January 17, 2018 ✔ Former Republican Party of Indiana Chairman Rex Early Unknown ✔ Local figures Kokomo Councilman Tim Miklik April 25, 2018 ✔ Frankfort Mayor Chris McBarnes April 25, 2018 ✔ Hendricks County Commissioner Matt Whetstone March 15, 2018 ✔ Hendricks County Councilor Caleb Brown March 15, 2018 ✔ Hendricks County Councilor Jay Puckett March 15, 2018 ✔ Tippecanoe County Commissioner Tom Murtaugh (R) February 22, 2018 ✔ Organizations Indiana Farm Bureau Elect PAC April 26, 2018 ✔ Indiana Chamber of Commerce April 17, 2018 ✔ Indiana Right to Life April 2, 2018 ✔ With Honor March 15, 2018 ✔ SikhsPAC Unknown ✔

Campaign tactics and strategies

Support

"2" - Braun campaign ad, released March 14, 2018

"One Time" - Braun campaign ad, released February 21, 2018

May 7, 2018

The following social media statistics were compiled on May 7, 2018.

	Facebook			Twitter
Candidate	Followers	Likes	Comments on Last Ten Posts	Followers	Following	Tweets
Baird	5,605	5,175	18	314	137	484
Braun	7,552	7,541	8	597	386	225
Morales	5,312	5,282	6	2,338	2,261	6,149
Thomas	9,881	9,919	104	956	995	1,055

April 9, 2018

The following social media statistics were compiled on April 9, 2018.

	Facebook			Twitter
Candidate	Followers	Likes	Comments on Last Ten Posts	Followers	Following	Tweets
Baird	5,072	5,501	35	296	138	456
Braun	7,527	7,535	31	595	377	166
Morales	5,212	5,191	17	2,288	2,270	6,052
Thomas	8,768	8,737	14	933	993	1,016

March 10, 2018

The following social media statistics were compiled on March 10, 2018.

	Facebook			Twitter
Candidate	Followers	Likes	Comments on Last Ten Posts	Followers	Following	Tweets
Baird	5,185	4,758	128	284	135	439
Braun	7,142	7,148	6	563	372	136
Morales	5,149	5,136	16	2,212	2,278	6,005

Tweets by Jim Baird Tweets by Steve Braun Tweets by Diego Morales Tweets by Jared Thomas

Campaign finance

The table below contains data from FEC Quarterly April 2018 reports with information on all funds raised and spent since the beginning of the 2017-2018 campaign cycle on January 1, 2017. It includes only candidates who had reported at least $10,000 in campaign contributions as of March 31, 2018.

2014

See also: Indiana House of Representatives elections, 2014

Elections for the Indiana House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 6, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 7, 2014. Incumbent Steve Braun was unopposed in the Republican primary and was unchallenged in the general election.

2012

See also: Indiana House of Representatives elections, 2012

Braun won election in the 2012 election for Indiana House of Representatives District 24. Braun defeated Kiefer C. Dobbs and Mindi Fisher McMillan in the May 8 Republican primary and ran unopposed in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.

Indiana House of Representatives, District 24, General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Steven Braun	100%	26,048
Total Votes				26,048

Indiana House of Representatives, District 24 Republican Primary, 2012

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Steven Braun	77.6%	7,682
Mindi Fisher McMillan	22.4%	2,216
Total Votes		9,898

Endorsements

Braun was endorsed by the National Rifle Association in the State House race in 2012. He has also received endorsements from Hoosiers for Economic Growth, Indiana Manufacturers Association, Indiana Chamber of Commerce, and the Indiana Right to Life PAC on May 2, 2012.

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Steve Braun did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2018

“	Pro-life I believe life begins at conception and will always defend the rights of the unborn in Washington. Our tax dollars must never be used to fund abortion. When I ran for State Representative, I earned the endorsement of Indiana Right to Life. Second amendment The right to bear arms is not only a constitutional right, it is a cherished Hoosier value. I will fight anyone who wants to take away our basic right to own a gun. I am a member of the NRA, and when I ran for State Representative, I earned the endorsement of the NRA. Immigration President Trump needs conservative leaders to help him put America first. That includes shutting down illegal immigration and securing our borders. We are a nation of immigrants, and the diverse makeup of our social fabric has contributed to America’s greatness for over 240 years. Unfortunately, our immigration system has become dysfunctional and jeopardizes the safety of the law-abiding people who live here legally. We must secure our borders to end the influx of illegal immigrants and drugs that pour across our southern border. I support President Donald Trump’s efforts to ensure that current immigration laws are enforced. Immigration reform is a complex issue, and it is vital to our national interests that we fix this broken system Jobs & Economy I have spent 35 years of my life in the private sector creating jobs. After a brief stint at Price Waterhouse, I took a risk and started a technology company that grew to more than 700 employees at its peak. We hired thousands of employees, and I learned early on that our success was not dependent on government – our success was a result of initiative and hard work. After selling my company, I have focused my efforts on investing in companies and building businesses in both real estate and agriculture. I know firsthand the barriers government places on employers and employees. We need to reduce burdens on job creators, not create more hoops for them to jump through. In Congress, I will take my experiences and fight to cut red tape and eliminate the unnecessary regulations that hurt Hoosier workers. Entrepreneurs and small businesses, not government, are the hubs of innovation and economic prosperity in Indiana and across the nation, and I will champion legislative policies that restore this principle. I will actively work to support the passage of the Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2017 (REINS Act). I am in favor of tax reform. Washington should implement a flat, fair structure, and lower the overall tax burden on Hoosier families and their businesses. We also need to simplify the tax code by eliminating special interest tax breaks and loopholes. I also favor repealing and replacing Obamacare and ending the program’s job-killing policies. I served in the Indiana General Assembly – as a member of the Ways and Means Committee – to help bring some business principles to government, and I will do the same thing in Washington. National Security A strong military is the foundation of our nation’s security and prosperity. Protecting the American people will always be the top priority, and in Congress, I will support our funding for the military and our veterans. As threats and challenges to our nation evolve, our defense capabilities must follow suit, and that requires Congress to continue investing in the technology of tomorrow. Our reliance on technology in everyday life requires a cybersecurity strategy against foreign invaders. We must protect our country’s intellectual property, business and individual financial information, and our energy delivery infrastructure. Cybersecurity now and in the future is among the important issues facing our nation. Our adversaries are becoming more capable at using technology to threaten our interests. I believe that we need to increase cooperation and collaboration between the government and private sector to design and implement future systems and products with national security in mind. Defense of our Allies The United States must be clear in projecting strength and ensuring that hostile nations know we will stand with our allies across the globe. Israel is a critical U.S. ally, and we must always stand in defense of them from enemy forces in the region. NATO has been a force for peace in Europe and across the world, and the United States must continue to support its objectives. Lastly, we must ensure that North Korea, its nuclear ambitions, and its dangerous behavior do not destabilize that region of the world. Fighting Terrorism America must continue to lead in the fight against terror. I will support our military leader’s plans to eradicate ISIS and secure peace and stability in Afghanistan and Iraq. As the terrorists continue their attacks in new forms, we must invest in our intelligence agencies to make sure we are doing everything possible to protect Americans at home and abroad. Veterans Our nation’s veterans put their lives on the line every day for our freedom. My own father served in World War II. He and countless others through the years have served with honor and dignity and deserve the best care and support we can provide when they return home. I have the highest respect for the men and women who serve in the military, and in Congress I will work to build on recent reforms to our Veterans Affairs Administration that increase accessibility to quality health care, employment opportunities and benefits. As DWD Commissioner, I worked to expand employment opportunities for our service members when they return home to Indiana. In Congress I will support federal programs to expand these opportunities, including the USDA’s Veterans to Agriculture program to train and develop our next generation of farmers. Tax Reform America has the highest corporate income tax rate in the world, which is stifling economic growth and contributing to American jobs moving to other countries. I will work to reform our tax code to lower rates for businesses and families. America needs a tax code that doesn’t require more than eight hours to complete. We need a tax structure that is easier to understand and encourages investment and growth. Additionally, we must eliminate the federal estate tax that is unfair to our small businesses and farmers. Health Care Obamacare has failed to do what was promised – resulting in higher premiums and rising health care costs that are hurting Hoosier families. I support the repeal and replacement of Obamacare with a plan that will lower premiums and provide states more flexibility over Medicaid dollars so low-income families continue to have access to affordable healthcare. Government Spending Federal government spending continues to increase at levels that cannot and should not be sustained. The federal deficit continues at levels that threaten future generations – $700M in 2017 alone – which adds to our nation’s growing debt of almost $20 trillion. I will fight to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in government and support responsible spending cuts that will enable us to pass balanced budgets and reduce our national debt in the long term. As DWD Commissioner, I led efforts to crack down on fraud in the unemployment trust fund, saving Indiana taxpayers more than $200 million. I support a constitutional amendment that will require Congress to pass a balanced budget, providing certainty to both the public and private sectors on future government spending. Education Supporting high-quality education opportunities for Hoosiers of all backgrounds and economic standing is fundamental to our nation’s future. I believe in empowering the local decision-making of parents and educators. It is common sense that parents understand what is best for their child, and we should level the playing field and allow parents to choose the school that best meets a student’s needs – public or private – and regardless of income or geography. This is an issue that is close to my heart from my work helping to launch the Oaks Academy in Indianapolis, which focuses on helping underprivileged children. A high-quality education provides the foundation for a good job, which is fundamental to creating stronger families and a higher quality of life. As the Commissioner of Workforce Development for Governors Mike Pence and Eric Holcomb, I worked tirelessly to strengthen and align education and workforce development programs. I have seen firsthand where the federal government must do more to cultivate collaboration between educators and business leaders, so our education institutions are teaching the skills and competencies necessary to fill the high-demand, high-wage jobs of the future. The US Department of Education has become too large and ineffective at providing meaningful assistance. We need to move power away from Washington and back to the states. I would support legislation to simplify and streamline the allocation of federal tax dollars back to states and local leaders to use as they see fit. Career and Technical Education (CTE) should be an area of focus and investment. We can improve significantly on the job we do preparing students to enter rewarding careers in Indiana’s major industries: manufacturing, information technology, health care, transportation/logistics, and the building/construction trades. Supporting work-based learning and apprenticeship models are also important to offering students real-life experience and a better-rounded educational experience, better preparing them for a career and lowering the need for incurring student loan debt. Social Security As Baby Boomers head toward retirement at historic levels, Congress must act to reform and preserve Social Security for them and for future generations. Failing to action will result in the Social Security Trust Fund running out of money, and that will result in harmful benefit cuts – and that is unacceptable. We must keep our promises to seniors in the system and restore the Trust Fund to a solid level of stability. I support common sense reforms that leave benefits in place for those currently receiving them and allowing younger workers to have more control over how their money is invested for retirement. State's Rights It has been a long time since Americans help a positive view about the work Congress is doing on their behalf. Simply put, Washington is mired in political gridlock that leaves the biggest problems unsolved. This failed system of federal control isn’t accountable, responsive, nor innovative enough to improve the lives of Hoosiers. But here in Indiana, under the leadership of Governors like Mitch Daniels, Vice President Mike Pence and Eric Holcomb, we see every day how small, effective government works best. Restoring more control to state and local governments, entities that are more reactive, flexible and accountable to issues that influence Hoosiers, should be the role of the federal government. Agriculture I have witnessed how Washington’s regulatory overreach has been hard on Indiana farmers. The EPA’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) placed every waterway in the country under the control of the EPA and solved nothing in the process. Thankfully, we have a new President who is rolling back some of these anti-growth regulations, but Congress must also act. I will co-sponsor and fight to pass the REINS Act and insert Congressional oversight and the voice of the American people into the current federal government rule making process to restrain out of control Washington bureaucrats.	”
—Steve Braun for Congress

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Steve Braun campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2020	U.S. House Indiana District 5	Withdrew primary	$46,600	$46,600
2018	U.S. House Indiana District 4	Lost primary	$1,238,643	N/A**
2014	Indiana House of Representatives, District 24	Won	$29,400	N/A**
Grand total			$1,314,643	$46,600
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Indiana

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states.  To contribute to the list of Indiana scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.

2014

In 2014, the Indiana General Assembly was in session from January 6 through March 14.

• Americans for Prosperity Indiana

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.

• Indiana Chamber of Commerce

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.

• Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.

• The American Conservative Union

Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2013

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show].
In 2013, the Indiana General Assembly was in session from January 7 through April 29. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

See also

2020 Elections

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External links

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• Campaign contributions: 2012

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Richard McClain (R)	Indiana House of Representatives District 24 1994–November 2014	Succeeded by Donna Schaibley (R)

[show]

Indiana's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Jim Banks (R)

Todd Young (R)

Representatives

District 1

Frank Mrvan (D)

District 2

Rudy Yakym (R)

District 3

Marlin Stutzman (R)

District 4

Jim Baird (R)

District 5

Victoria Spartz (R)

District 6

Jefferson Shreve (R)

District 7

André Carson (D)

District 8

Mark Messmer (R)

District 9

Erin Houchin (R)

Republican Party (9)

Democratic Party (2)