Indiana GOP chair to step down following tumultuous party convention

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana GOP party chair Anne Hathaway is stepping down about 10 months after outgoing Gov. Eric Holcomb appointed her to the role.

Her departure was announced shortly after delegates at the state party convention rejected party leadership and the endorsement of former President Donald Trump to nominate an ultra-conservative pastor for lieutenant governor to run alongside gubernatorial nominee U.S. Sen. Mike Braun.

Hathaway was the first woman to hold the position. She also chairs the panel organizing the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this July 15-18.

The state party’s announcement said Hathaway was unanimously reelected Friday as national committeewoman and informed members in the same meeting that she would be stepping down from her state leadership role. Hathaway’s successor will be elected by members of the Indiana Republican State Committee June 24. Executive Director Joe Elsener is also stepping down, the party said.

“The timing is right having just concluded our 2024 State Convention, and I look forward to working with Senator Braun and the members of our Republican State Committee to select our next chair,” Hathaway said in the party’s announcement.

The convention came to shocking end on Saturday when delegates elected Micah Beckwith, who promotes uncompromising views as co-host of the “Sex, Jesus and Politics” podcast, instead of Braun’s choice of state Rep. Julie McGuire to be his running mate.