By Niki Kelly and Mackenezi Klemann
Indiana Capital Chronicle

Gov. Mike Braun issued an executive order Wednesday to enact a 30-day suspension of the 7% sales tax on gasoline — with the potential for extensions.

“I am declaring a gas tax holiday to give Hoosiers relief from the pain at the pump from high gas prices,” Braun said in a news release. “Affordability is my top priority.”

The order is in effect now through May 8. Braun called on retailers to pass savings directly to customers, noting the state will be monitoring prices to make sure.

Taxes on fuel in Indiana are made up of the federal gas tax of 18.4 cents per gallon, the state excise tax of 36 cents per gallon and the 7% state sales tax.

The current average cost for a gallon of gas in Indiana, according to AAA, is $4.14 — of which about 17 cents is attributable to the sales tax.

Braun estimated savings for Hoosiers could reach $50 million a month. He will revisit the emergency declaration in 30 days.

Attorney General Todd Rokita also announced that his office will actively monitor fuel prices across the state and enforce price gouging protections.

“Hoosiers deserve the full relief intended by this emergency measure and we will use every tool at our disposal to ensure that the removal of the tax translates into lower prices at the pump — and that consumers are not taken advantage of during this time,” Rokita said in a news release. “If a consumer suspects that a gas station in Indiana is still charging tax during the suspension, they should file a consumer complaint with our office.”

History of suspending gasoline sales tax

In 2000, then-Gov. Frank O’Bannon suspended the sales tax on gasoline for two 60-day periods heading into an election. It saved motorists more than $46 million.

At that time, gas was nearing $2 a gallon; the savings were between 8 and 10 cents per gallon.

O’Bannon cited a 1981 statute allowing him to declare an energy emergency if “an existing or projected shortfall of at least eight percent (8%) of motor fuel or of other energy sources that threatens to seriously disrupt or diminish energy supplies to the extent that life, health, or property may be jeopardized.”

The law doesn’t specifically mention fuel taxes, but it allows the governor to “suspend the provisions of any state statute regulating transportation or the orders or rules of any state agency if strict compliance with any of the provisions would prevent, hinder, or delay necessary action in coping with the energy emergency.”

Authority unclear

But in 2007, then-Gov. Mitch Daniels asked the Attorney General’s Office whether he had the authority to suspend the sales tax on gas.

The letter, signed by then Chief Deputy Attorney General Gregory Zoeller, said it was “clear that a suspension of a sales tax is not among those powers enumerated by this statute nor does it fall with the same category of those within the 1981 act.”

“Without further legislative action granting the governor the authority to suspend the gas tax, we agree that this authority is not within the intent of the 1981 statute,” the letter continued.

A message to Rokita’s office seeking clarity on authority wasn’t immediately returned. All AG opinions are non-binding.

“We feel this is within the latitude of what I’m able to do,” Braun told reporters Wednesday, citing the cumulative effect of inflation.

“The emergency was created by conditions outside our control,” he said, “and that was done in D.C. — not particularly on fuel, but in many of those years it was way above $4. We’ve been carrying that burden for a long time.”

The executive order said the ongoing war with Iran “has threatened the global supply of oil,” with 20% to 25% of the world’s crude oil production shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials have blocked the strait in recent weeks.

When asked about the 8% shortage requirement, the governor’s office cited the executive order.

Braun praised President Donald Trump for negotiating a two-week ceasefire with Iran, which he said should lead to lower fuel prices over time.

“This is big news,” Braun said. “You can already see it in the markets. We’ll begin to see that peace dividend over time, and there’s now clarity in terms of what they’re doing.”

Legislative reaction

Half a dozen Senate Republicans released statements supporting the move, including the chamber’s leader.

“Senate Republicans have led on issues of affordability for years, resulting in one of the lowest costs of living in the country for Hoosiers, but the recent spike in gas prices is still leaving many Hoosiers feeling undue pressure on their budgets,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, R-Martinsville. “With affordability top of mind right now, I’m supportive of temporarily suspending the state’s sales tax on gas.”

Many of those in support are facing primary challenges and have been attacked for earlier votes to raise the gas tax.

Markle Republican Sen. Travis Holdman, who is locked in a tough reelection race, called on Braun to suspend the gas tax moments before he did so.

“Despite everything we have done at the Statehouse to maintain our state’s low cost of living, the current price of gas is adding too much pressure on Hoosiers and their wallets,” Holdman said. “Today, along with some of my colleagues, I am calling on Gov. Braun to provide relief at the pump for Hoosiers by using his legal authority to suspend the state’s tax on gas.”

House Democrats backed the suspension on Wednesday but questioned the timing.

House Minority Leader Phil GiaQuinta, D-Fort Wayne, noted the caucus repeatedly called for a suspension back in 2022, when gas prices jumped amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“I want to be clear: House Democrats support this suspension, but Gov. Braun and Statehouse Republicans are only cleaning up a mess that they helped create,” GiaQuinta said in a Wednesday news release. “Hoosiers are tired of unstrategic and unfocused foreign wars that cost American lives, drive up gas prices and raise the cost of living.”

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WASHINGTON — The United States said Sunday it rescued a service member missing behind enemy lines since Iran downed a fighter jet, as President Donald Trump escalated pressure on Tehran with renewed threats to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump wrote in a social media post that the aviator is injured but “will be just fine,” adding that the rescue involved “dozens of aircraft” and that the U.S. had been monitoring his location in the lead-up to his rescue.

[caption id="attachment_129309" align="alignright" width="360"] AP map shows where Iran said it's looking for a US aircraft crew member.[/caption]

“This brave Warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour,” Trump wrote.

The airman’s extraction followed a frantic U.S. search-and-rescue operation after the Friday crash of the F-15E Strike Eagle, as Iran also promised a reward for anyone who turned in an “enemy pilot.”

A second crew member was rescued earlier.

The fighter jet was the first U.S. aircraft to have crashed in Iranian territory since the war, now in its sixth week, erupted.

Trump said last week that the U.S. had “decimated” Iran and would finish the war “very fast.” Two days later, Iran shot down two U.S. military planes, showing the ongoing perils of the bombing campaign and the ability of a degraded Iranian military to continue to hit back.

The other jet to go down was a U.S. A-10 attack aircraft. Neither the status of the crew nor exactly where it crashed was immediately known.

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The United States and Israel launched an attack Saturday on Iran, with the first apparent strike happening near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iranian media reported strikes nationwide, and smoke could be seen rising from the capital.

President Donald Trump said in a video posted on social media that the U.S. had begun “major combat operations in Iran.” He claimed Iran has continued to develop its nuclear program and plans to develop missiles to reach the U.S.

Ahead of the strikes, Trump has built up the largest U.S. military presence in the Middle East in decades and repeatedly threatened to use force to compel Iran to reach a deal to constrain its nuclear program and, earlier, to halt its bloody crackdown on nationwide protests.

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Alexandra Wilson is a Republican primary challenger to state Sen. Greg Goode. So is Brenda Wilson, whom President Donald Trump endorsed last month because of Goode’s vote against the Indiana congressional redistricting plan.

The dual Wilson candidacies have a top political ally of Indiana Gov. Mike Braun calling it a “trick” by local Republicans to help Goode survive the May primary by taking votes away from Brenda Wilson, who is a Vigo County Council member.

Prominent conservative attorney Jim Bopp said a court challenge to Alexandra Wilson’s candidacy is being considered after the Indiana Election Commission on Wednesday deadlocked over whether to remove her name from the ballot because of a 2010 criminal conviction.

Bopp said Vigo County Republican Party Chair Randy Gentry was behind getting Alexandra Wilson on the ballot “to confuse voters” — pointing out that Gentry had to certify her as a Republican since she had not voted in two consecutive GOP primaries as otherwise required by state law.

“I recognize tricks that have been played over the years, and this is one of them,” Bopp told the Indiana Capital Chronicle.

Gentry denied Bopp’s accusation of ballot manipulation, saying that Alexandra Wilson was brought to him by other Republicans as an opponent of a contentious Terre Haute school construction project supported by both Goode and Brenda Wilson.

“I am a huge supporter of the president, and I’ve had four phone calls with the White House,” Gentry said in an interview. “I explained to them what the local flavor is. … The key is there’s nothing crazy about what’s going on here.”

Ballot challenge fails in a tie vote

Bopp, whose law practice is based in Terre Haute, said he is supporting Brenda Wilson as “she much better represents the party” than Goode.

Bopp argued during Wednesday’s Election Commission meeting that Alexandra Wilson was ineligible for the primary ballot because of a state law prohibiting someone convicted of a felony crime from holding elected office.

Samantha Dewester, an attorney representing Alexandra Wilson, acknowledged that she pleaded guilty in 2010 to resisting law enforcement at the age of 19 when she had no criminal history.

Dewester maintained that while the original charge was a low-level Class D felony, the Vermillion County judge accepted the plea agreement of a Class A misdemeanor with a year of probation.

“She’s not a felon,” Dewester said. “She is an upstanding citizen that just wanted to get involved and run for office, and nothing in her record showed that she has a felony conviction whatsoever.”

The four-member Election Commission split 2-2 on the challenge to Alexandra Wilson’s candidacy. The two Democratic members — Suzannah Wilson Overholt and Karen Celestino-Horseman — voted to allow her name to remain on the ballot and the two Republicans — Beth Boyce and John Westercamp — voted to remove her.

The tie means that Alexandra Wilson stays on the ballot as a majority vote is needed for removal.

New chapter in Republican rift

The strife over the dueling Wilson candidacies is another example of the Republican infighting prompted by Trump’s demand that Indiana join other GOP-controlled states in congressional redistricting.

Trump and Braun both vowed political revenge against Republican senators who in December, joined with Democrats in the 31-19 vote defeating the redistricting plan aimed at giving GOP candidates all nine of Indiana’s U.S. House seats.

Goode was among the 21 of 40 Republican senators who opposed redistricting — and Brenda Wilson is among five candidates endorsed by Trump in primary challenges to those senators (with one challenger having already ended his campaign).

Alexandra Wilson did not immediately comment on Wednesday to the Capital Chronicle about her campaign.

Goode, who is Republican U.S. Sen. Todd Young’s state director, did not address whether he had any involvement with Alexandra Wilson’s candidacy when asked by the Capital Chronicle.

“I was the first Republican to file for this legislative seat,” Goode said in a text message. “I am not running against any person or people. I am standing for my constituents. That is my focus for the remainder of the (legislative) session and during this ’26 campaign.”

Goode filed for reelection on Jan. 9 (the second day of the candidate filing period), followed by Brenda Wilson on Jan. 21, six days before Trump’s endorsement. Alexandra Wilson joined the race Feb. 5, the day before the candidate filing deadline.

Vigo County chair denies ‘conspiracy’

Bopp is the secretary and treasurer of Hoosiers for Opportunity, Prosperity and Enterprise — a nonprofit group supporting Braun’s agenda — and was a vice chair of Braun’s transition team after he won the 2024 gubernatorial election.

If Alexandra Wilson remains on the ballot, her name would appear just before Brenda Wilson as candidates are listed alphabetically.

Bopp said “without question” that is why Alexandra Wilson is running.

“The confusing fact that there is the same last name and that the person they recruited is in front of her also makes the confusion and negative effect on Brenda even greater,” Bopp said.

Gentry said Goode was not involved in Alexandra Wilson entering the race and called the controversy “nonsense.”

“I wish Alexandra’s last name was Smith or Jones or, you name it,” Gentry said. “It’s not, and that’s created all kinds of conspiracy theories and so forth.”

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The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.

You can read the original version of the story here.

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The drive for political retribution against Republican state senators who didn’t support Indiana congressional redistricting has taken a blow with a candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump ending his campaign.

Trump last month backed Bluffton City Councilman Blake Fiechter’s challenge to high-ranking state Sen. Travis Holdman — even before Fiechter got in the race.

But he cited trouble organizing a campaign ahead of the May 5 primary for the District 19 seat in northeastern Indiana, covering all of Adams, Blackford, Jay and Wells counties and part of Allen County.

“If it had just been a Wells County district, it would have felt much easier,” Fiechter told WANE 15 of Fort Wayne on Friday. “But with it being spread out and not having anyone day-to-day helping me, fending all these calls and making connections. It came down to a lot of those little details just creeping up.”

Fiechter did not return a message Monday from the Capital Chronicle seeking comment. He filed his candidacy last month nearly a week after Trump’s social media endorsement was posted, with the president calling Holdman a “RINO” — for Republican in name only — and “an America Last politician” for opposing the redistricting bill.

Trump’s social media posts have used similar wording in endorsing primary challengers to four other Republican senators who voted against his demand for redistricting aimed at helping the GOP win all nine of Indiana’s U.S. House seats.

Holdman, who has been a senator since 2008, is the Senate’s third-ranking member as majority caucus chair and his chair of the influential Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee.

Marty Obst, an Indiana Republican operative and former Trump campaign staffer who leads the pro-redistricting group Fair Maps Indiana, has said his organization and others would “spend seven figures” in support of the GOP  primary challengers.

Obst did not immediately reply Monday to a message seeking comment about Fiechter’s decision.

Fiechter’s name will still be listed on the primary ballot because the deadline for withdrawing has passed.

WANE reported that Fiechter said he received advice from some Republican leaders, but not enough help with campaign workers and money.

“I felt like I was on a raft alone trying to navigate,” he said.

* * *

The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.

You can read the original version of the story here.

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WARSAW — Members of the Northern Indiana chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America hosted its first-ever rally in Warsaw Sunday, joining a chorus of those upset with how the Trump administration is conducting immigration raids.

About four dozen people gathered with temperatures in the 20s along North Detroit Street near Center Street, where local Democrats have organized numerous protests over the past year aimed at President Trump.

Leaders began the rally with a few short speeches and a candlelight vigil remembering nine people they contend have died as a result of immigration crackdowns across the country, including Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were shot to death by federal agents in recent weeks in Minnesota.

[caption id="attachment_126249" align="alignright" width="330"] Motorists offered honks and gestures of support as they drove by the protesters on Sunday in Warsaw. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

The Warsaw rally coincided with a similar one in South Bend.

The Warsaw rally comes after organizers said they saw a spike in interest in the group after the mayoral victory of Zohran Mamdani in New York City last year.

The Northern Indiana DSA has been active for several years, but we’re just now growing in Kocisucko County,” said a person who went by the name Poe and was dressed in all black and wearing a face mask.

“There was definitely an influx of membership to the DSA after that happened," Poe said.  "But I think the main motivator locally is all the things that are going on in our community that are causing a threat to our community, such as the ICE murders and things like that,” Poe said.

“We feel it's now time, more than ever, to organize our community against the things that are happening," Poe said.

Another man spoke out about how Trump is using the military for domestic purposes.

“He thinks he can treat us like his own personal army. He’s seeing if we will (allow) that. We are here to show him that he can’t,” he said.

Another offered his perspective: “With ICE abuses, and the constant assault on our constitutional and moral rights, we must keep in mind that freedom is merely a privilege extended unless it’s enjoyed by one and all.”

The protest drew a cross-section of people — young and older — almost entirely focused on ICE tactics, based on a review of signs.

Melinda Sharp was there with her husband, Dan. Her sign read, Love One Another," and his read, "End the Ice Age."

They live in New Paris and have attended five rallies in recent months.

She said she’s not a Democratic Socialist but rather is upset with Trump's behavior on a range of issues.

“I was a registered Republican all my life until Mr. Trump showed up," she said. "He’s done nothing to earn my trust and support.”

Among those attending was Brian Smith, chairman of the Democratic Party's 2nd Congressional District in Indiana. He said he was there to honor the lives of Good and Pretti.

Northern Indiana DSA is demanding:

• No compliance from local government, local law enforcement, schools, churches or businesses in assisting ICE or DHS in their “mass deportation terror campaign.”
• The end of the use of flock cameras on local streets to surveil motorists.
• The end of support for candidates in the upcoming midterms unless they publicly commit to defunding, abolishing ICE, and the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Below are News Now Warsaw photos by Dan Spalding.

[gallery columns="1" size="full" ids="126248,126246"]

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President Donald Trump made a new round of endorsements seeking to oust Republican state senators who opposed his push for Indiana congressional redistricting.

Social media posts Tuesday night from Trump threw his support behind primary challengers to Sens. Greg Goode of Terre Haute and Spencer Deery of West Lafayette.

Trump’s post endorsing Vigo County Councilwoman Brenda Wilson against Goode erroneously identified her as a county commissioner.

In a separate post, Trump endorsed Paula Copenhaver, a top aide to Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and the Fountain County Republican chair, in her challenge to Deery.

Trump has now in recent days endorsed five challengers to incumbent Republican senators after he vowed political revenge against those who defied him on the redistricting bill that failed in December.

Those posts have used nearly identical wording, denouncing the current senators as a “RINO” — for Republican in name only — and “an America Last politician.”

Goode responded to a request for comment about Trump’s post by saying: “I was grateful for Brenda’s advice in October when she said, ‘Greg, don’t vote for redistricting.’”

Deery said in a statement that he has “a proven record of passing meaningful legislation that advances the conservative movement.”

“Ultimately, voters will decide this race, and they will trust the local voices who know me and know what I have delivered for their towns, schools and counties,” Deery said.

Trump’s support for their challengers also puts him at odds with two legislators with close ties to top Indiana Republican figures.

Goode is U.S. Sen. Todd Young’s state director, while Deery was a top aide to former Gov. Mitch Daniels while Daniels was the Purdue University president.

Another of Trump’s Tuesday night posts endorsed former state Rep. Jeff Ellington for the Republican nomination for an open seat created by GOP Sen. Eric Bassler’s decision not seek reelection. Bassler, of Washington, also voted against the redistricting bill.

Trump endorsed Ellington over other Republican candidates Kristi Risk, who is a Beckwith staffer and the Owen County GOP chair, and Vincennes attorney Tanner Bouchie.

* * *

The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.

You can read the original version of the story here.

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President Donald Trump has taken direct aim at a high-ranking Indiana state senator who voted against the congressional redistricting plan by endorsing a potential Republican primary challenger.

A social media post from Trump Thursday night blasted Sen. Travis Holdman as a RINO — Republican in name only — “who, for whatever reason, voted against Redistricting in Indiana, in a District that I won by 39 points, which puts the United States Congress in jeopardy.”

Trump’s post said he would give “my Complete and Total Endorsement” to Blake Fiechter, a Bluffton City Council member whom the post called “a True America First Patriot.”

Holdman, who has been in the Senate since 2008, is the chamber’s third-ranking member as majority caucus chair and also is chair of the influential Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee.

Holdman is seeking reelection in Senate District 19 that includes all or parts of Adams, Allen, Blackford, Jay and Wells counties in northeastern Indiana.

Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Gov. Mike Braun and other redistricting supporters have repeatedly threatened political vengeance against Republican legislators who opposed Trump’s demand for a redrawing of Indiana’s U.S. House maps aimed at helping the GOP win all nine seats.

“We could have easily picked up two seats in Indiana, so Holdman, an America Last politician, put our Majority in the House of Representatives at risk, thereby putting our Country in a very dangerous position in losing some of the magnificent gains that we have made over the last year,” Trump’s post said.

Holdman did not immediately reply Friday to messages from the Indiana Capital Chronicle seeking comment.

Holdman made himself a Trump target in November by announcing: “The message from my district has been clear — they do not support mid-cycle redistricting, and therefore I cannot support it.”

He was among 21 Republicans who joined all 10 Democratic senators in opposing the redistricting plan when it failed in a 31-19 vote on Dec. 11.

Trump’s endorsement of Fiechter is the first the president has made since he started making his political threats months ago.

Fiechter is a real estate broker who is in his first term as an at-large member of Bluffton’s city council after winning election in 2023.

Fiechter did not immediately respond to email messages seeking comment about his political plans.

He had not filed a candidacy for the Senate seat or opened a state campaign fundraising committee by midday Friday, according to Indiana Election Division online records. The candidate filing deadline for the May primary is Feb. 6.

* * *

The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.

You can read the original version of the story here.

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WARSAW — Well over 100 people braved Saturday's 18-degree temperature for an hour in Warsaw to honor the memory of Renee Good, the 37-year-old mother who was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent during a protest in Minnesota recently.

[caption id="attachment_125620" align="alignright" width="304"] Many of those at the protest were bundled up to stave off the frigid temperatures Saturday in Warsaw. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

The rally, like many in the past year in Warsaw, was a boisterous event with many motorists honking their horns as they drove past the Warsaw Community Public Library in support of protesters who were lined up along North Detroit Street near Center Street.

Good, who died on Jan. 7, was quickly demonized by the Trump administration as a domestic terrorist while many supporters, pointing to online videos, claimed the ICE agent who shot her multiple times was not in imminent danger as Good attempted to drive away from the Minneapolis protest.

Her death has sparked multiple days of protests in Minneapolis and across the country.

While numerous signs at the Warsaw protest attempted to lighten the mood with puns about ICE, Robert Vermillion's assessment on the killing of Good was sobering.

He said he's watched the videos available on social media.

"It's obvious to me that that guy killed her on purpose. He purposely killed her," Vermillion said while holding a large American flag.

"They keep trying to hijack this narrative. "We know what happened on Jan. 6, too. We all witnessed it go down ... they want to rewrite history, they want to send troops into our cities to attack us," Vemlliion said. "That's why I'm here."

Protest signs also called attention to Trump’s authoritarian proclivities and his actions in Venezuela, as well as his ongoing demands to seize control of Greenland despite strong opposition from most Americans and the North American Trade Organization, which represents much of Europe.

The event included continual patrols by Warsaw police, and it remained peaceful.

Below are photos of Saturday's protest by News Now Warsaw's Dan Spalding.

[gallery columns="1" size="full" ids="125619,125626,125629,125618,125621,125623"]

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