A tight race for Governor in Indiana

Mike Pence and John Gregg went head to head yesterday for the title of Governor of Indiana. Both with their separate reasons for wanting to be elected, both anxiously watched the votes come in.

This is the first Governor election where the powerful incumbent, Mitch Daniels, wasn’t running. Both candidates are diverse, which made it a more difficult decision for Indiana voters.

“The governor’s race has been interesting because it started out so quiet and then has been much more vocal at the end,” said Dr. Sarah Stelzner of Indianapolis. “I think got a little bit dwarfed by the whole controversy with the senate race and obviously with the presidential race. So, that one has been a little bit harder to follow for me and the fact that there’s two people trying to put themselves forward as opposed to an incumbent that you have some experience with but it was easy for me to make a decision.”

Amidst the chaotic Election Day, a foreigner who wasn’t able to vote headed to the polls with a friend for the experience. Valerie Spriet of Indianapolis enjoyed comparing and contrasting the elections here and in her native country, France.

“It’s not allowed,” Spriet said about campaign ads still being broadcast on Election Day. “Because at this stage in France, 24 hours before the election everything must be stopped. The candidates mustn’t speak on TV anymore. Nobody is allowed to give papers for the different parties outside the place you vote.  It is totally forbidden.  They think that they have to leave people on their own to think now to begin to make their own choice and that they don’t have to interfere anymore.  So they stop all the campaigning.”

The votes were neck and neck for a great amount of time until Mike Pence pulled ahead to become the next Governor of Indiana with 50 percent of the vote to Gregg’s 46 percent.

I interviewed both candidates about the governor's race in Indiana. You can read more about it on the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps website.

—Kid Reporter Grace Ybarra

Photo: Governor-elect Mike Pence (Courtesy Pence campaign)