10 Things You Didn't Know About Eric Holcomb

Eric Holcomb is an American politician who is currently serving as the Governor of Indiana. Prior to this he served as Lieutenant Governor under Mike Pence before he left the post to become Vice-President. Here are ten things about him that you may not know.

1. He Was Born In Indianapolis

He was born in Indianapolis and this is where he went to school. He attended Hanover College which is also in Indiana. The state has always been the place that feels like home to him and this is one reason he decided to become a politician. He has always said that his priority is making sure that Indiana is a great place to live, work and play for all residents.

2. His Mother Was A Teacher

He spoke about his mother's commitment to teaching in his 2020 State of the State address, as detailed on the Indiana Governors website. He referred to how hard he watched her work when he was growing up and that she felt teaching was a calling rather than just a job. When thinking about the reforms that he wants to make to education, this is something that is always in the forefront of his mind because he knows it applies to all teachers. The approach that his mother took to her work also taught him that it is important to have a job that you care passionately about.

3. He Served In The Navy For Six Years

He spent six years as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy. He was stationed in Jacksonville, Florida and this was the first time that he had ever lived outside of Indiana. As part of his role in the navy he also spent some time overseas in Lisbon, Portugal. There are not many details available about his time in the Navy, as the role of an intelligence officer often involves a lot of classified information. It is likely that he was stationed at the Allied Joint Force Command Lisbon, which was a NATO base when he was serving in Portugal.

4. He Was An Advisor To Mitch Daniels

After leaving the Navy he began his career in politics. His first job was working for John Hostettler, who was a member of the House of Representatives. He began working for Mitch Daniels as an advisor in 2003 when he was elected as Governor. He worked his way up to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Daniels and had a large role to play in the 2008 gubernatorial campaign in which he was re-elected by a substantial margin.

5. He Met His Wife Through Politics

It was through his political career that he met his wife, Janet. When she left college, she wanted to pursue a career in the arts, but ultimately became involved in political fundraising. She carried out fundraising for Mitch Daniels while he was Governor and this is how the couple were introduced to each other. They had only been married for a short time before Holcomb became governor. It was a decision that was made a lot quicker than they both expected due to him not having the role of Lieutenant Governor for long before Mike Pence became Vice-President.

6. One Of His Main Focuses Was Improving Roads In Indiana

When he first became Governor, one of the first things he wanted to do was to make improvements to the roads. In order to raise funds for this, he increased the price of gas and BMV registrations in the state. It is estimated that these changes will raise an estimated $1.2 billion dollars and this money will all be spent on improving infrastructure in the state. This includes improving roads but some of the money will also be spent on bridges.

7. Covid-19 May Have A Role To Play In His Re-election Campaign

Governors in all states have had unprecedented decisions to make during the Covid-19 pandemic as there has never been another situation like this in living memory. Governor Holcomb has been giving daily updates to the people of Indiana on TV and through his social media channels. IndyStar suggest that this might work in his favor when it comes to his re-election. The period of the pandemic would have been the time that he was campaigning, which he has not been able to do. However, the fact that he has been so visible throughout this time has helped to make up for this somewhat.

8. His Schnauzer Is Known As The First Dog Of Indiana

Governor Holcomb and his wife do not have any children, but they do have a miniature schnauzer who is called Henry. They often joke that Henry is the most popular member of the family, and he has his own social media accounts. The couple adopted Henry when he was two months old and he has been an important part of their lives ever since. He sometimes accompanies the governor to the Statehouse, where he always acts like a professional! His other favorite pastimes include eating chicken and chasing squirrels.

9. He Is A Fan Of Playing Basketball

Basketball is a very popular sport throughout the whole of Indiana, and the Governor has always been a fan. Whenever he goes on visits to the different counties within the state, he always tries to get a game of basketball in. He has achieved the accolade of making a basket in each one of Indiana's 92 counties. He often plays basketball when he has some free time as a way of keeping fit.

10. He Describes Himself As A History Buff

He admits that he is a history buff on his website. He majored in US History at college and it is an interest that he has always maintained. He he is the author of a book about Mitch Daniels' approach to campaigning and how this set him apart from other governors, called Leading The Revolution. He also collects presidential signatures and has documents that have been signed by every president.