Suzanne Crouch (born February 27, 1952) is an American politician who has served as the 52nd lieutenant governor of Indiana since 2017. She previously served as the 56th state auditor of Indiana from 2014 to 2017. In 2024 she ran for governor of Indiana, losing the primary election to U.S. Senator Mike Braun.

Suzanne Crouch
Crouch smiling
52nd Lieutenant Governor of Indiana
Assumed office
January 9, 2017
GovernorEric Holcomb
Preceded byEric Holcomb
56th Auditor of Indiana
In office
January 2, 2014 – January 9, 2017
GovernorMike Pence
Preceded byDwayne Sawyer
Succeeded byTera Klutz
Member of the Indiana House of Representatives
from the 78th district
In office
October 16, 2005 – January 1, 2014
Preceded byVaneta Becker
Succeeded byHolli Sullivan
Personal details
Born (1952-02-27) February 27, 1952 (age 72)
Evansville, Indiana, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseLarry Downs
Children1 daughter
EducationPurdue University (BA)

A member of the Republican Party, Crouch served in the Indiana House of Representatives from 2005 to 2014. On December 15, 2013, Governor Mike Pence appointed her to serve as the 56th state auditor of Indiana. Crouch was reelected to that position in 2014. She resigned as state auditor following her election as lieutenant governor of Indiana in 2016.

Early life

edit

Crouch graduated from Mater Dei High School in Evansville[1] and received her Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University, majoring in political science. Before serving in local government, Crouch chaired the Vanderburgh County Republican Central Committee for four years. Under her chairship, a majority of Republicans were elected to County Council, the first time in 60 years that Republicans had controlled that body.

County government

edit

County Auditor

edit

Crouch was elected Vanderburgh County Auditor in 1994 and served two terms.

Vanderburgh County Commissioner

edit

In 2002, Crouch was elected to the Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners and served as president until the end of her term in 2005. She worked to televise weekly commission meetings and held public hearings to seek the public's input on important issues. While she was president, the commissioners, for the first time, applied and received federal transportation dollars for a local road project.

Indiana State Representative

edit

In 2005 the district 78 seat for state representative was vacated by Vaneta Becker, who had moved to the State Senate to fill the vacated seat of Greg Server. House District 78 contains parts of Spencer, Vanderburgh and Warrick counties. Parts of Evansville, Newburgh, Richland, Hatfield, Darmstadt and McCutchanville are in the district. Crouch was elected to fill the position in a caucus by precinct committeemen. She was appointed vice chair of the Public Health Committee in the state legislature. Crouch was challenged in the 2006 Republican primary by conservative activist Jonathan Fulton, but defeated him with 63% of the vote.

Indiana State Auditor

edit

After Indiana State Auditor Dwayne Sawyer resigned in 2013, Crouch was appointed to fill the position.[2] In 2014, after the completion of Sawyer's term, the Republican Party of Indiana officially nominated Crouch for that year's election. On November 4, Crouch was elected by 23 points over Democratic nominee Mike Claytor, with 59.6% of the vote.[3]

Lieutenant governor

edit

2016 election

edit

After Governor Mike Pence was named Donald Trump's running mate in the 2016 presidential election, he had to withdraw from the gubernatorial election. Eric Holcomb, the lieutenant governor of Indiana, was chosen as Republican nominee for governor, and Crouch as the nominee for lieutenant governor.[4]

Electoral history

edit
Indiana State House of Representatives 78th District Republican primary election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Suzanne Crouch (inc.) 4,032 62.68
Republican Jonathan "Jon" Fulton 2,401 37.32
Indiana State House of Representatives 78th District election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Suzanne Crouch (inc.) 21,300 100.00
Indiana State House of Representatives 78th District election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Suzanne Crouch (inc.) 26,510 70.27
Democratic James Pete Rapp 11,214 29.73
Indiana State House of Representatives 78th District election, 2010
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Suzanne Crouch (inc.) 20,866 75.99
Democratic Steven Smith 6,594 24.01
Indiana State House of Representatives 78th District election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Suzanne Crouch (inc.) 21,991 100.00
Indiana Auditor Election, 2014
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Suzanne Crouch 793,633 59.62
Democratic Michael Claytor 479,109 35.99
Libertarian John Schick 58,332 4.38

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch: Biography". 5 January 2022.
  2. ^ Brandon Smith (December 16, 2013). "Suzanne Crouch Named Third State Auditor In Five Months". indianapublicmedia.org.
  3. ^ Indiana Secretary of State. "Election Results: Auditor of State".
  4. ^ "Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb picks Suzanne Crouch as running mate".
edit
Political offices
Preceded by Auditor of Indiana
2014–2017
Succeeded by
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Indiana
2017–present
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for Auditor of Indiana
2014
Succeeded by
Preceded by Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Indiana
2016, 2020
Succeeded by