History of Mike Braun in Timeline

Michael "Mike" Braun is an American politician and businessman who has served as the 52nd Governor of Indiana since 2025. Prior to his governorship, Braun represented Indiana in the United States Senate from 2019 to 2025. His political career also includes a stint in the Indiana House of Representatives, where he represented the 63rd district from 2014 to 2017. Before entering politics, Braun was involved in business.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

March 24, 1954: Michael Braun's Birth

On March 24, 1954, Michael Braun was born. He later became a businessman and politician.

1980: Highest Margin in Open Seat Election

In 2024, Michael Braun won the gubernatorial election by the highest margin in an open seat election for governor since 1980.

1980: Largest margin for an open governor's seat

On November 5, Michael Braun won Indiana's gubernatorial election by the largest margin for an open governor's seat since 1980.

1986: Acquired Meyer Body Inc.

In 1986, Michael Braun and Daryl Rauscher acquired Meyer Body Inc., a manufacturer of truck bodies and distributor of truck parts and equipment.

1995: Fully Acquired Meyer Body Inc.

In 1995, Michael Braun fully acquired Meyer Body Inc.

1999: Renamed Meyer Body Inc.

In 1999, Michael Braun renamed Meyer Body Inc. to Meyer Distributing.

2004: Joined Jasper School Board

From 2004, Michael Braun was a member of the Jasper School Board.

2012: Switched to Republican Party

In 2012, Michael Braun switched his party affiliation from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.

2014: Served in Indiana House of Representatives

From 2014, Michael Braun served in the Indiana House of Representatives.

2014: Elected to Indiana House

In 2014, Michael Braun was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives, representing the 63rd district.

2014: Member of Jasper School Board

Until 2014, Michael Braun was a member of the Jasper School Board.

2015: Opposed Paris Climate Agreement

In 2015, Michael Braun opposed the Paris climate change agreement.

2016: Republican Wave

In 2016, a massive Republican wave occurred, influencing voting patterns in Dubois County, according to Braun.

November 1, 2017: Resigned from State House

On November 1, 2017, Michael Braun resigned from the Indiana State House to focus on his U.S. Senate campaign.

2017: Supported Republican Tax Legislation

In 2017, Michael Braun supported the Republican Party's tax legislation and stated that tax cuts are a revenue-neutral way to boost the economy.

2017: Served in Indiana House of Representatives

In 2017, Michael Braun was serving as the representative for the 63rd district in the Indiana House of Representatives.

July 2018: Called for Attorney General's Resignation

In July 2018, Michael Braun called for the Indiana Attorney General, Republican Curtis Hill, to resign due to allegations of groping.

2018: Opposed the Affordable Care Act

During his 2018 Senate campaign, Michael Braun criticized incumbent Democratic Senator Joe Donnelly as a "defender of Obamacare" and opposed the Affordable Care Act.

2018: Supported Trump's Trade Policies

In 2018, Michael Braun supported Trump's trade and tariff policies, citing their "phenomenal results."

2018: Elected to the United States Senate

In 2018, Michael Braun was elected to the United States Senate, defeating Democratic incumbent Joe Donnelly.

2018: Won Republican Primary and General Election

In 2018, Michael Braun won the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate and defeated Democratic incumbent Joe Donnelly in the November general election.

2018: Personal Finance Disclosure

In 2018, Michael Braun's personal finance disclosure listed assets worth between $35 million and $96 million.

January 3, 2019: Sworn in as US Senator

On January 3, 2019, Michael Braun was sworn in as the junior United States senator from Indiana by Vice President Mike Pence.

May 2019: Voted Against Emergency Aid Package

In May 2019, Michael Braun was one of eight senators who voted against a $19.1 billion emergency aid package, arguing it was runaway spending.

October 2019: Founded Climate Solutions Caucus

In October 2019, Michael Braun founded the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus.

October 2019: Supported Trump's Syria Decision

In October 2019, Michael Braun supported Trump's decision to withdraw American troops from northern Syria and questioned U.S. involvement in the conflict between Turkey and the Kurds.

December 2019: Called Impeachment a Disaster for Democrats

In December 2019, Michael Braun stated that the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump had been a "disaster for Democrats."

2019: Became US Senator

In 2019, Michael Braun began his service as a United States senator from Indiana.

2019: Campaign Beneficiary of PAC Spending

In late 2019, it was reported that Michael Braun's 2018 campaign benefited from significant spending by a political action committee with ties to Lev Parnas.

January 2020: Photographs Released

In January 2020, photographs of Michael Braun and Lev Parnas were made public as part of the impeachment proceedings against President Trump.

April 2020: White House Recommendation Release

In April 2020, the White House released recommendations related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

May 2020: Blocked Resolution on CDC Guidance

In May 2020, Michael Braun blocked Senator Chuck Schumer's resolution to release the CDC's guidance on lifting COVID-19 restrictions, citing concerns about hindering the economy.

June 2020: Introduced Legislation to Reform Qualified Immunity

In June 2020, Mike Braun introduced legislation aimed at reforming qualified immunity following the murder of George Floyd. The proposed legislation sought to make it easier to sue police officers for rights violations.

October 26, 2020: Voted to Confirm Amy Coney Barrett

On October 26, 2020, Michael Braun voted to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.

November 2020: Refused to Acknowledge Trump's Defeat

After Joe Biden defeated Trump in the November 2020 election, Michael Braun refused to acknowledge Trump's defeat and promoted false claims of election fraud.

2020: Contested 2020 Election Results

Following the 2020 presidential election, Michael Braun defended and joined in Trump's attempt to overturn the election results, but later reversed himself after the Capitol attack.

January 2, 2021: Announced Objection to Electoral Votes

On January 2, 2021, Michael Braun, along with other Republican senators, announced that he would vote against counting the electoral votes from several states won by Biden.

May 2021: Opposed Reform to Qualified Immunity

In May 2021, Mike Braun publicly stated his opposition to any reform of the current doctrine of qualified immunity and opposed federal efforts to reform local police departments, reversing his stance from the previous year.

May 28, 2021: Abstained from Voting on Capitol Commission

On May 28, 2021, Michael Braun abstained from voting on the creation of an independent commission to investigate the January 6 storming of the Capitol.

September 2021: Opposed COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

In September 2021, Mike Braun opposed the planned COVID-19 vaccine mandate for companies with more than 100 employees, calling it the "biggest overreach by federal government I've seen". He authored the Senate disapproval resolution challenging President Biden's OSHA vaccine mandate for businesses.

October 2021: Invited Suspended Chicago Police Officers to Work in Indiana

In October 2021, Mike Braun invited Chicago police officers who were suspended for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to work in Indiana, stating that "plenty of departments are hiring now".

March 2022: Comments on Roe v. Wade and Interracial Marriage

In March 2022, during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing for Ketanji Brown Jackson, Mike Braun stated that Roe v. Wade was a case of "judicial activism". He then suggested that decisions on interracial marriage should be left to the states, but later retracted the statement.

November 30, 2022: Filed Papers for Gubernatorial Election

On November 30, 2022, Michael Braun officially filed papers to run in the 2024 Indiana gubernatorial election.

2022: Expressed support for overturning Roe v. Wade

In 2022, Michael Braun tweeted in support of overturning Roe v. Wade.

2022: Planned Gubernatorial Run

In 2022, it was reported that Michael Braun would run for governor of Indiana in 2024 instead of seeking reelection to the Senate.

2023: Opposed Earmarks

In 2023, Michael Braun introduced an amendment to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 to remove all earmarks from the bill, which ultimately failed.

2023: Voted Against Fiscal Responsibility Act

In 2023, Michael Braun was among the 31 Senate Republicans who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.

January 2024: Voted Against Resolution on Aid to Israel

In January 2024, Michael Braun voted against a resolution to apply human rights provisions to U.S. aid to Israel's military.

May 7, 2024: Won Republican Primary

On May 7, 2024, Michael Braun, endorsed by Donald Trump, won the Republican primary for governor.

September 30, 2024: Campaign Ad Controversy

On September 30, 2024, the Braun for Governor campaign released an ad containing an altered image of his opponent Jennifer McCormick, prompting legal concerns and a subsequent update with a disclaimer.

2024: Run in the Indiana gubernatorial election

In 2024, Michael Braun ran in the Indiana gubernatorial election.

2024: Elected Governor of Indiana

In 2024, Michael Braun was elected governor of Indiana, defeating Democratic nominee Jennifer McCormick and Libertarian nominee Donald Rainwater with a significant margin.

2024: Planned Gubernatorial Run

In 2024, Michael Braun would run for governor of Indiana instead of seeking reelection to the Senate.

February 2025: Declined Support for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

In February 2025, Mike Braun declined to support a state 50% match for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, leading to concerns about the program's funding.