Statewide
In shakeup of Senate Republican leadership, Sen. Chris Garten steps down
WFYI Public Media |
By
Benjamin Thorp
Published June 4, 2026 at 10:05 PM EDT
Ben Thorp
/
WFYI
Sen. Chris Garten (R-Charlestown) announced his resignation from Republican leadership on Thursday, citing misalignment with its direction. Pictured here on January 16, 2026 during a legislative hearing at the Indiana Statehouse.
Sen. Chris Garten (R-Charlestown) announced Thursday he will step down from his role as Senate Majority Floor Leader.
Garten said he no longer felt aligned with leadership, suggesting a break with Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray (R-Martinsville).
“It has become clear to me that serving as Floor Leader requires a seamless alignment with the current strategic direction of leadership - an alignment I no longer maintain,” Garten wrote in his resignation.
Garten was
one of the Senate Republicans
who proudly supported both President Donald Trump and redistricting when lawmakers gathered to consider redrawing Indiana’s congressional maps last year.
That put him in opposition with Sen. Bray, one of the Republicans who ultimately voted against that effort.
In a statement to WFYI Bray said he appreciated Garten’s leadership in the Senate and said they would continue to work together with the rest of the caucus.
“As always, our goal is to advance legislation that improves the lives of Hoosiers, and that's where Senate Republicans will continue to place our time and energy," he said.
In his statement, Garten said he was proud of what had been accomplished in his tenure and that his “commitment to our caucus and our shared conservative values remains unwavering.”
Several Republicans who opposed redistricting
lost their primaries
against Trump-backed challengers earlier this year, potentially opening the door for the removal of Sen. Bray.
In the lead-up to the primary, Trump tweeted that Bray’s opposition amounted to a betrayal of the Republican party, adding, “we’re after you, Bray.”
Gov. Mike Braun
has called for President Bray’s replacement in Senate leadership, calling him a “wet blanket.”
Garten’s name
has been floated
as a replacement for Bray.
In his statement, Garten did not indicate whether he might run for that spot; however, he wrote only that his role in the Senate would change and he looked forward to “further advance the conservative principles that separate Indiana from the rest.”
Contact Government Reporter Benjamin Thorp at
[email protected]