Democrat Marc Carmichael launches bid for U.S. Senate

Former state Rep. Marc Carmichael announced Monday he would file for the Democratic primary to replace U.S. Sen. Mike Braun.

Braun is running in the Republican primary for governor.

More: 2 years out and the race for Indiana's next governor is heating up

Carmichael, 73, is the first Democrat to announce a bid for the seat in 2024. Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Banks is also running for the seat, and Carmichael has explicitly pitched his bid as an alternative to Banks' right-wing conservatism.

"We deserve better than to be represented by someone as mean-spirited, blindly partisan and out of touch with the majority of Hoosiers as Jim Banks," Carmichael stated in a press release. "His attacks on innocent LGBTQ children for purely political gain are disgusting and his vote against certifying the Biden election and dishonest rhetoric on FOX News after that election (helped) lead to the riot at the U. S. Capitol on January 6.  He should be ashamed.”

More: U.S. Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana launches bid for U.S. Senate

Carmichael was first elected to the Indiana House in 1986 and served until 1991 before stepping down to become the director of governmental affairs for the Indiana Gas Company.  From 1999 to 2020, Carmichael served as president of the Indiana Beverage Alliance, a statewide trade association for Indiana’s family-owned beer distributors.

Carmichael released ten priorities in his announcement, including codifying abortion rights into law, banning military-style assault weapons, curbing white nationalism and antisemitism, climate change, and defending LGBTQ youth.

IndyStar has reached out to Banks for comment.

Contact the reporter at 317-903-7071 or [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Democrat Marc Carmichael launches bid for U.S. Senate