Sen. Steve Daines’s decision to wade into the Indiana Senate race on Tuesday, throwing his weight behind Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), marks a new course for the National Republican Senatorial Committee as it seeks to avoid a primary clash in 2024.
The NRSC chairman issued a quasi-endorsement following an announcement on Tuesday from former Gov. Mitch Daniels (R-IN) that he would not seek the open U.S. Senate seat in 2024.
Had Daniels entered the race, it could have ensured one of the most contested and costly GOP primaries in the country, pitting a traditional Republican against a Trump-endorsed MAGA candidate. A number of Republicans are reportedly considering a run for the seat, including Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-IN).
The move by the NRSC appears to be an attempt to clear the field for Banks.
RICK SCOTT’S LEADERSHIP UNDER SCRUTINY AMID TEPID GOP SENATE GAINS
“I have the utmost respect for the years of service Governor Daniels has given to Indiana and wish him well in the future,” Daines said in a written statement. “I’m looking forward to working with one of our top recruits this cycle, Jim Banks, to keep Indiana red in 2024.”
Daines’s comments on a primary race are in stark contrast to his predecessor, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), who was criticized for not taking sides in internal GOP conflicts or weighing in on primary contests. Scott had been confident that Republicans would pick up multiple seats during a 2022 midterm “red wave” that failed to materialize. The NRSC was blamed for not better vetting nominees such as Georgia’s Herschel Walker, a candidate plagued by multiple scandals who lost to Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), who served as NRSC chairman from 2009-2012, told the Washington Examiner that the last election showed just how high the stakes are when it comes to candidate quality.
“I think we see what happens when we nominate people who can win a primary but then can’t pivot to the general election and get the ball to win,” he said. “You don’t get to govern if you can’t win an election, so winning is the first important step.”
Daniels, who had visited Washington, D.C., recently, told Politico that running for retiring Sen. Mike Braun’s (R-IN) seat didn’t align with his life and career goals.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“After what I hope was adequate reflection, I’ve decided not to become a candidate for the U.S. Senate,” Daniels told the outlet. “With full credit and respect for the institution and those serving in it, I conclude that it’s just not the job for me, not the town for me, and not the life I want to live at this point.”
He added that there might be other ways for him to contribute “that do not involve holding elective office. If not, there is so much more to life.”
The Washington Examiner’s Samantha-Jo Roth contributed to this report.
