Rokita Criticizes Bray Allies, Presses Case Against Sen. Liz Brown
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is reacting to Tuesday’s primary results and weighing in on a closely contested state Senate race in Fort Wayne.
Talking Wednesday on Tony Katz in the Morning News on 93 WIBC, Todd Rokita went after allies of Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray and also took a shot at state Sen. Liz Brown.
“You have to understand the dynamics,” Rokita said. “Rod Bray had a lot of minions, and a lot of them went away last night. One of them that still has to go away is Liz Brown.”
Brown is in a tight race in Fort Wayne against Darren Vogt, who is backed by Rokita and U.S. Sen. Jim Banks.
Rokita accused Brown of blocking key legislation, including immigration enforcement and nonprofit reforms backed by conservatives and allies of Donald Trump.
“So many bills have gone to die,” Rokita said. “The illegal immigration bill that you and I have talked about that Tom Homan came in and pushed that President Trump was for, she basically killed for 18 months.”
Trump recently endorsed Brown despite criticism from some Indiana Republicans.
“All Trump said was, ‘Hey, I’m going to endorse those that vote for a district,’” Rokita said. “She knew that she was already backed into a corner because of the work I was doing to put a better person in there, the work Jim Banks was doing. So this was her only shot.”
Rokita also pointed to broader dissatisfaction within the caucus, saying several primary winners have pledged to oppose returning Bray to his leadership role if they win in November.
“It becomes a question of are these new candidates, these nominees, if they win in the fall, going to hold to their promise,” Rokita said. “We need to get something done.”
He added that efforts on Medicaid fraud reforms and nonprofit oversight have stalled under current Senate leadership.
“I personally find Rod Bray to be a nice person, a good man, but just a different kettle of fish when it comes to how to run a Senate and how to run policy,” Rokita said.
The comments come as Indiana Gov. Mike Braun called Wednesday for Bray to step down from his leadership post
