Lieutenant Governor of Indiana
In 2023,Beckwith announced his candidacy for lieutenant governor of Indiana in the 2024 election. [8] Beckwith faced Julie McGuire for the nomination,and won with 891 votes against McGuire's 828. [9] He won the election on a ticket with U.S. senator Mike Braun,defeating the Democratic Party nominees Jennifer McCormick and Terry Goodin. [10]
During the gubernatorial campaign,Beckwith said that McCormick's campaign and its support of abortion rights and gender-affirming care represented "boldness for immorality" and the "Jezebel spirit",and additionally referred to pro-choice Hoosiers as "demonic". In response,the Indiana Democratic Party called the Braun-Beckwith ticket a "woman hating campaign". Beckwith later said that his comparison of the Indiana Democratic ticket to the Jezebel spirit had "nothing to do with being a woman or not." [11]
In November 2024,Beckwith addressed a story posted in Indiana University's student newspaper,the Indiana Daily Student ,in a post on X. The front-page story featured president-elect Donald Trump and critical remarks made about him by former members of his cabinet. He called the IDS story "WOKE propaganda" and wrote that "[t]his type of elitist leftist propaganda needs to stop or we will be happy to stop it for them." [12] In an email to local NBC News affiliate WTHR,Beckwith said he would ensure the IDS "receives no taxpayer support directly or indirectly",though the newspaper's co-editor in chief noted that it receives no taxpayer funds. [13] In a follow-up interview with the IDS,Beckwith stated he would protect the newspaper's free speech rights if he felt the stories run by the paper were "fair". [14]
In April 2025,Democrats in the Indiana Senate argued against Indiana Senate Bill 289,an anti-DEI measure,comparing it to the Three-fifths Compromise. Beckwith responded to the argument by defending the Three-fifths Compromise,calling it "a great move" and saying that the policy "helped to root out slavery". His comments were condemned by the Alliance of Baptists,the Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis,and the Indiana chapter of the National Action Network in a joint statement that called Beckwith's interpretation of the compromise "historical revisionism". [15] Beckwith defended his comments in an interview several days later,stating "I said exactly what needed to be said." Governor Mike Braun was critical of Beckwith's remarks,saying he "definitely wouldn't have used that characterization",and Indiana state representative Earl Harris Jr. called Beckwith's statements "a gross misunderstanding of history" and "purposeful whitewashing of [history] for political gain". [16]
In September 2025,Beckwith,faced backlash from conservative circles after posting on social media about his meeting with Haitian pastors regarding faith and family. In the post,he noted that over 40,000 Haitians were seeking asylum in Indiana,praised their determination to work hard,and encouraged assimilation into the American way of life. Conservative commentators accused him of advocating for mass Haitian migration,he clarified by emphasizing that any Haitians who come must do so legally,learn English,and assimilate. [17] Beckwith said on WOWO,that he has not "flip-flopped" referring to his stance on immigration. In 2024,he described Haitian resettlement in Logansport as a burden on public services,such as schools,hospitals,and emergency response agencies were being stretched thin by “people who should not be here.”He blamed the amount of Haitians in Indiana on Biden extending their temporary protected status. Beckwith subsequently deleted the original post attributed the backlash to misinterpretation of his message. [18]
Also in September,a former senior advisor to Beckwith,said staff in his office watched and laughed at a deepfake AI topless video of Rep. Craig Haggard’s wife during a charity event. They claim Beckwith was aware,while Beckwith denies the video exists and says an internal review found no evidence. [19] Marion County prosecutors are investigating claims. The allegation includes that two staffers in Beckwith’s office viewed the video back in April. Haggard says his wife has been publicly dragged into this,wants full accountability,and supports an independent investigation;Beckwith says he found no evidence after reviewing communications. Under Indiana law,making or distributing nonconsensual pornographic deepfakes is a misdemeanor. [20]
