The 2016 Indiana gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 2016, to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of Indiana, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on May 3, 2016. Republican lieutenant governor Eric Holcomb won the race with 51.4% of the vote.
Incumbent Republican Governor Mike Pence was running for reelection to a second term in office until July 15, 2016, when then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump selected Pence as his vice presidential running mate. As Pence was barred by Indiana law from simultaneously running for both offices, he subsequently withdrew from the gubernatorial election. Pence went on to be elected Vice President of the United States. He was replaced on the ballot for governor by his former running mate, incumbent lieutenant governor Eric Holcomb, who was selected by the Indiana Republican State Committee as the nominee on July 26, 2016. Holcomb later selected State Auditor Suzanne Crouch on August 1, 2016, to be his running mate as the nomination for lieutenant governor was made vacant by the decision of Holcomb to seek the gubernatorial nomination; she was confirmed at a subsequent meeting of the Indiana Republican State Committee later that day.
John Gregg, the former Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives, was the Democratic nominee. Gregg previously ran for governor in 2012 but was defeated by Pence. As of 2026, this is the last time an Indiana gubernatorial election was decided by single digits.
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared Mike Pence, incumbent governor (withdrew after primary to run for Vice President of the United States as the running mate of Donald Trump)
Declined Greg Ballard, former mayor of Indianapolis Susan Brooks, U.S. Representative from and former United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana (ran for re-election) Luke Messer, U.S. Representative from (ran for re-election) Todd Young, U.S. Representative from (ran for U.S. Senate)
Results
Republican State Committee selection On July 15, 2016, Donald Trump announced that Pence would be his running mate as vice president in the 2016 presidential election. Under Indiana law, Pence was unable to run for both governor and vice president simultaneously; he therefore withdrew from the gubernatorial election, creating a vacancy on the Republican ticket. On July 26, the chairman of the Indiana Republican Party, Jeff Cardwell, announced that Eric Holcomb had been nominated by the Indiana Republican State Committee to replace Pence on the ballot for governor. The vote totals were not released. Holcomb later selected Suzanne Crouch on August 1, 2016, to be his running mate as the nomination for lieutenant governor was made vacant by the decision of Holcomb to seek the gubernatorial nomination; she was then confirmed by the Committee at a meeting later that day.
Candidates
Declared Susan Brooks, U.S. Representative and former United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Eric Holcomb, Lieutenant Governor of Indiana Running mate: Suzanne Crouch, Indiana State Auditor Todd Rokita, U.S. Representative and former Indiana Secretary of State Jim Tomes, state senator
Declined Brian Bosma, Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives Mitch Daniels, former governor of Indiana Lloyd Winnecke, Mayor of Evansville
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared John R. Gregg, former Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives and nominee for Governor in 2012 Running mate: Christina Hale, state representative
Withdrawn Glenda Ritz, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction (ran for re-election) Karen Tallian, state senator
Declined Evan Bayh, former U.S. Senator and former governor of Indiana (ran for U.S. Senate) Pete Buttigieg, Mayor of South Bend Greg Goodnight, Mayor of Kokomo Baron Hill, former U.S. Representative from and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1990 Scott Pelath, Minority Leader of the Indiana House of Representatives Tony Roswarski, Mayor of Lafayette Tom Sugar, vice president of Complete College America and former aide to Evan Bayh
Endorsements
Results
Libertarian Party convention
Candidates
Declared Rex Bell, businessman Jim Wallace
Nominated Rex Bell, businessman Running mate: Karl Tatgenhorst
General election
Candidates
Democratic: John R. Gregg, former Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives and nominee for Governor in 2012 Running mate: Christina Hale, state representative Libertarian: Rex Bell, businessman Running mate: Karl Tatgenhorst Republican: Eric Holcomb, Lieutenant Governor of Indiana Running mate: Suzanne Crouch, Indiana State Auditor
Debates
Governor: Complete video of debate, September 27, 2016 - C-SPAN Complete video of debate, October 3, 2016 - C-SPAN Complete video of debate, October 25, 2016 - C-SPAN Lt. Governor: Complete video of debate, August 9, 2016 - Hoosier Ag Today
Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report August 12, 2016 Daily Kos October 14, 2016 Rothenberg Political Report November 3, 2016 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 7, 2016 Real Clear Politics November 1, 2016 Governing October 27, 2016
Polling Aggregate polls Source of pollaggregationDatesadministeredDatesupdated EricHolcomb (R) JohnGregg (D) Other/UndecidedMarginReal Clear PoliticsReal Clear PoliticsOctober 27 – November 3, 2016November 3, 201640.7%44.0%15.3%Gregg +3.3% Graphical summary
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror EricHolcomb (R) JohnGregg (D) RexBell (L) UndecidedSurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey November 1–7, 2016 1,700 ± 4.6% 47% 49% – 4%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey October 31 – November 6, 2016 1,383 ± 4.6% 46% 49% – 5%WTHR/HoweyWTHR/Howey November 1–3, 2016 600 ± 4.0% 42% 42% 5% 11%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey October 28 – November 3, 2016 923 ± 4.6% 47% 47% – 6%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey October 27 – November 2, 2016 790 ± 4.6% 48% 47% – 5%Gravis MarketingGravis Marketing October 30 – November 1, 2016 399 ± 4.9% 38% 42% 4% 16%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey October 26 – November 1, 2016 638 ± 4.6% 49% 47% – 4%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey October 25–31, 2016 674 ± 4.6% 47% 48% – 5%Monmouth UniversityMonmouth University October 27–30, 2016 402 ± 4.9% 42% 48% 4% 5%Gravis MarketingGravis Marketing October 22–24, 2016 596 ± 2.3% 38% 42% 4% 16%Ball State University (PSRAI)Ball State University (PSRAI) October 10–16, 2016 544 ± 4.8% 43% 48% – –Monmouth UniversityMonmouth University October 11–13, 2016 402 ± 4.9% 38% 50% 4% 7%BK Strategies (R-Holcomb)BK Strategies (R-Holcomb) October 11–13, 2016 800 ± 3.5% 42% 42% 3% 13%WTHR/Howey October 3–5, 2016 600 ± 4.0% 39% 41% 5% 15%WTHR/Howey September 6–8, 2016 600 ± 4.0% 35% 40% 6% 19%Monmouth UniversityMonmouth University August 13–16, 2016 403 ± 4.9% 42% 41% 4% 13%Expedition Strategies (D-Gregg)Expedition Strategies (D-Gregg) August 1–3, 2016 600 ± 4.0% 39% 46% 6% 9%The Tarrance GroupThe Tarrance Group July 20–21, 2016 503 ± 4.4% 34% 42% – 24%
with Mike Pence Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror MikePence (R) JohnGregg (D) Other UndecidedBellwether ResearchBellwether Research May 11–15, 2016 600 ± 4.0% 40% 36% — 24%WTHR/HoweyWTHR/Howey April 18–21, 2016 500 ± 4.3% 49% 45% 1% 5%Bellwether ResearchBellwether Research May 29–June 3, 2015 800 ± 3.5% 40% 41% — 19%Bellwether ResearchBellwether Research April 12–14, 2015 607 ± 4.0% 43% 37% — 21%GQR ResearchGQR Research April 7–9, 2015 500 ± 4.4% 47% 47% — 6%
with Susan Brooks Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror SusanBrooks (R) JohnGregg (D) Other UndecidedThe Tarrance Group July 20–21, 2016 503 ± 4.4% 36% 41% — 23%
with Todd Rokita Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror ToddRokita (R) JohnGregg (D) Other UndecidedThe Tarrance Group July 20–21, 2016 503 ± 4.4% 36% 41% — 23%Public Opinion StrategiesPublic Opinion Strategies July 16–18, 2016 600 ± 4.0% 45% 43% — 12%
with Baron Hill Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror MikePence (R) BaronHill (D) UndecidedBellwether ResearchBellwether Research April 12–14, 2015 607 ± 4% 43% 36% 21%
with Glenda Ritz Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror MikePence (R) GlendaRitz (D) Other UndecidedBellwether Research May 29–June 3, 2015 800 ± 3.5% 42% 42% — 16%Bellwether ResearchBellwether Research April 12–14, 2015 607 ± 4% 42% 39% — 18%
Results
By county