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Business executive Woody Myers speaks to the media as he hands over paperwork to put his name on the Democratic primary ballot for Indiana governor at the Statehouse in Indianapolis on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. Myers will be the only Democrat seeking the party's nomination to challenge Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb this year after tech business leader Josh Owens dropped out the race Wednesday and endorsed Myers.
AP Photo/Tom DaviesINDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Longtime health care business executive Woody Myers declared “Hoosiers are ready for a change” on Friday as he formally became the presumptive Democratic challenger to Republican Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb.
Myers was the only Democrat meeting the deadline to put his name on Indiana's May primary ballot after tech business leader Josh Owens dropped out the race Wednesday and endorsed Myers.
The 65-year-old Indianapolis native is a doctor who was Indiana’s state health commissioner in the 1980s before holding a string of corporate executive positions across the nation.
Myers said he plans to focus his campaign on improving the state’s education and health care systems, job creation and tackling environmental problems.
“I just truly believe that Hoosiers are ready for a change,” Myers said. “Hoosiers know that the leadership that we have today isn’t working for most Hoosiers. Those at the top of the food chain are doing really well, but the rest of the state is not.”
Holcomb's campaign touts what it calls record job commitments and infrastructure investments around the state since he became governor in 2017. Holcomb has a big front-runner advantage as he seeks reelection. He started this year with about $7.25 million in his campaign account, while Myers reported raising only $180,000 last year.
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