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This article is part of 社区黑料鈥檚 EDlection 2024 coverage, which takes a look at candidates鈥� education policies and how they might impact the American education system after the 2024 election.

U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, a conservative Republican, is still ahead in the state鈥檚 gubernatorial race but over Democrat Jennifer McCormick has shrunk in recent weeks.

Polling released this week by the Democratic Governors Association shows Braun just three points in front of McCormick, 44% to 41%. That鈥檚 a dropoff from the Sept. 17 results of an that had Braun with roughly 45% of the vote and McCormick with 34. Libertarian candidate Donald Rainwater also picked up more support but less dramatically so, going from 5.8% to 8%.

Indiana has not elected since 2000 and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump holds a comfortable 14 percentage point lead, 57% to 43%, over Democrat Kamala Harris, according to an

If elected to succeed Gov. , Braun and his running mate, pastor, podcaster and far-right , have pledged universal school choice for every Indiana family while focusing on parental rights and school safety. 

McCormick, a career educator, was the last person elected to the superintendent of public instruction鈥檚 office before it became an appointed position in 2021. She seeks to expand affordable child care, fight what she believes is excessive state-mandated testing and call for an equitable school funding formula.聽

She also wants to place limits on the state鈥檚 private school voucher initiative: The grew to encompass more than , a 31% increase from the year before. The state allocated $439 million in tuition grants to private parochial or non-religious schools last year 鈥� up from nearly $312 million the year before.

McCormick said the program, which might have been intended for lower-income children, is often utilized by white suburban families and is too expensive. 

鈥淲e can鈥檛 afford it,鈥� she told 社区黑料, 鈥渁nd it is sucking the resources out of our traditional schools.鈥� 

Braun, 70, wants to expand school choice by annual family income cap from the voucher program, known as the Choice Scholarship Program, and allocated to the state鈥檚 Education Scholarship Account Program. The program, which has also in participation, gives special education students and their siblings funds for tuition and support services. 

Braun did not make himself available for an interview and attempts to reach various supporters were not successful.

鈥淪chool choice programs put parents in the driver鈥檚 seat, allowing them to choose schools that prioritize their children鈥檚 needs,鈥� he states in his education plan. 鈥淧roviding universal school choice will ensure every Hoosier family has the same freedom to choose their best-fit education.鈥�

A former school board member, Braun also wants to create an Indiana Office of School Safety to streamline the efforts of several departments, including the state police 鈥� and implement age-appropriate cyber training for students regarding online safety. He said, too, that the state should limit cellphone use on campus. 

Braun wants to increase Indiana鈥檚 public teacher base salary 鈥� and financially reward educators whose students perform well. 

Keith Gambill, president of the Indiana State Teachers Association, said his group , 54, because of her commitment to funding traditional public schools. 

He noted she did not have the group鈥檚 endorsement when she initially ran for the state superintendent鈥檚 office as a Republican. But, Gambill said, after filling the role and understanding the state鈥檚 educational needs, and her values more closely aligned with the union鈥檚. 

鈥淪he really stood up to members of 鈥� at that time 鈥� her own party in working toward what was best for our schools,鈥� he said, speaking of her time in office. 鈥淎nd, of course, as soon as they were challenged, they didn鈥檛 like that. She realized that if she was going to make a difference in public education, she would have to move in a different direction.鈥�

McCormick aims to secure a minimum base salary of $60,000 for pre-K-12 educators, and adjust veteran teacher salaries to reflect their non-educator peers. She wants to increase academic freedom, safeguard university tenure and protect the ability of teachers unions to collectively bargain for wages and benefits. 

Her running mate, , a former state representative, was a teacher, assistant principal and public school superintendent at Crothersville Community Schools.

Braun, in his education plan, said he wants schools to notify parents about their child鈥檚 request to change their name or use different pronouns on campus. He has for minors and opposes . Braun has the backing of Americans for Prosperity and CPAC 鈥� and maintains high ratings from the NRA. 

Braun was endorsed in 2023 and won his party鈥檚 nomination for governor in May after beating out a crowded field of GOP contenders. He acknowledged last month, that Harrris鈥檚 presence at the top of the presidential ticket has complicated down-ballot races, including his own.

“I think that’s had an impact,” he said, “but I’m going to plow through that because this is a lot about kitchen table issues once you鈥檙e starting to run for governor.”

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