INDIANAPOLIS -
Democrat John Gregg is officially running for Indiana governor after filing for candidacy Thursday. The former House speaker may have been eager to talk about the issues, but he did so with a heavy heart.
"If I had known there were going to be so many people, I would have baked a cake," Gregg remarked after seeing the media presence for his filing.
Gregg wanted to keep it simple. He showed up with his son and one box of signatures. It was a contrast from Republican Mike Pence, who brought a large group of supporters Monday and held a press conference amid a backdrop of boxes of signatures divided up by county.
Gregg called it "the difference between a workhorse and a showhorse."
Filing for candidacy is an exciting day for a politician. But for the former House speaker, his heart was heavy after a childhood friend from Knox County died the night before.
"This was a kid I grew up with and thought I was going to grow old with. And he died," Gregg explained.
The right to work protest that triggered large crowds and a march through the Super Bowl Village last week was also on Gregg's mind Thursday, saying if he were elected governor, he'd sign a repeal of Indiana's new law.
"Right to work will be one of many issues because we're talking about jobs. We're talking about living wage jobs. Anything dealing with jobs, anything dealing with this past session, the attack on public schools, the attack on men and women, whether they belong in organized labor or not, the right to work will certainly be one of the major issues," Gregg said.
Gregg says while he runs for office, those already in office need to keep working.
"The governor and the legislature need to work together for the remaining time. I think that's what Hoosiers want. And, as governor, that's something I'll do. I'll work hand and glove with the legislature," said Gregg.
On the Republican side, Fishers businessman Jim Wallace said he came up 111 signatures shy of the number needed to make the ballot.
Libertarian candidate and former Survivor star Rupert Boneham did not have to meet the state's 4,500-signature requirement this week because the Indiana Libertarian Party's "minor party" status allows it to pick candidates in a closed nominating process.
