John R. Gregg

Gregg's legislative career spanned 8 elections. In 1986 he ran against and defeated Republican incumbent Representative Bill Roach to represent District 45 in the Indiana House of Representatives. He was reelected seven times, in 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2000. He represented Sullivan, Daviess, Greene, Knox, and Vigo counties.[21]

Over the span of his 16 years in the Indiana House, Gregg spent a dozen years in the most powerful positions in that chamber, and contributed twice to redistricting process that occurs every decade.[22]

In 1990, Gregg went from a back-bencher in seat number 100 to the first position as House majority leader.[23][24] He served as majority leader from 1990 to 1994 and as House Democratic leader from 1994 to 1996. As Democratic leader, he is remembered for his leadership of a walkout in 1995.[1][2][25]

Gregg was first elected Speaker of the House in 1996, when the general election had left an equally divided House with 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans.[1][2][25] For the first time in Indiana history, a single Speaker presided over an equally divided House. (In 1988, Michael K. Phillips (D-Boonville) and Paul S. Mannweiler (R-Indianapolis) shared the Speaker position in the first even-split between the two parties in history.[22][26]) Gregg was reelected Speaker after the 1998 general election when Democrats took control of the House with a 53-47 majority.

Throughout his legislative career, Gregg was a proponent of tax cuts, including the elimination of the excise and inventory taxes and the reform of property taxes.[22] While in the House, he was an advocate of balanced budgets[22] and opposed gambling expansions, but later modified that stance, noting that gaming is "a business that is heavily regulated. We've not had indictments. We've not had any kind of federal investigations or anything like that [in Indiana]."[22] During his tenure as Speaker, Gregg championed many causes, including reforms in education, campaign finance, lobbying and ethics, and negotiated a compromise between Democrats and Republicans to expand worker's compensation coverage and build Conseco Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis.[22] He also implemented changes in House procedures, including on-time convening of sessions, a bipartisan clerk's office, staffing parity for both caucuses, and the prohibition of smoking in the interior hallways and offices surrounding the House chamber. Gregg introduced measures to help streamline the workload of legislators and staff, including reducing the number of standing committees from 21 to 17 and initiating stricter adherence to House rules about how members vote and conduct themselves on the House floor.

A House Resolution to honor Gregg on his retirement in 2002 credited him with returning civility and congeniality to the House chamber.[6][25][27] One commentator noted that despite disagreements over policy ideas during his speakership, "it is hard to find an enemy of Gregg's at the Statehouse."[22] Of Gregg's legislative career, former Governor Evan Bayh said, "[if there's] one thing about John Gregg, people on both sides of the aisle think he's a good person and a man of his word."[22]

House Representative, District 45, 1986

The incumbent Republican Bill Roach lost to John Gregg.

House Representative, District 45, 1988

John Gregg, in his first election as the incumbent, defeated opponent David Tatem, a Republican candidate from Terre Haute.[28]

House Representative, District 45, 1992

In 1992, Gregg ran unopposed for his fourth term.[29]

House Representative, District 45, 1994

John Gregg ran unopposed again for his fifth legislative term in 1994.[30]

House Representative, District 45, 1996

John Gregg won his sixth term against Republican opponent Scheffler.[31]

House Representative, District 45, 1998

John Gregg ran unopposed for his seventh term in 1998.[32]

House Representative, District 45, 2000

John Gregg again successfully defended his seat for his eighth term as state representative and as the incumbent Speaker of the House against his Republican opponent Hood.[33]

• House County and Township Committee, 1986[22]
• House Natural Resources Committee, 1986[22]
• House Ways and Means Committee, 1988[22]
• House Committee on Joint Rules
• House Committee on Rules & Legislative Procedures

Gregg in 2012, at the gubernatorial debate

Gregg was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Indiana in the 2012 election. He faced Republican nominee Mike Pence. Although originally predicted to lose decisively to Pence, Gregg closed the gap late in the election, winning 46% of the vote to Pence's 49%. Gregg's campaign was focused on putting Indiana back to work in the midst of the economic recession, and called for an armistice on social issues. He attempted to brand Pence as an extremist Washington politician, which was effective with some demographics, particularly women, but did not carry the election.[34]

On April 30, 2015, Gregg launched his second campaign, which originally was to be a rematch against Gov. Pence, who was perceived as politically weakened after signing the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Gregg entered the 2016 race for Governor before other Democrats announced their presumed candidacies, including Indiana state Sen. Karen Tallian and state superintendent of schools Glenda Ritz, who withdrew.[37] In July, after Pence dropped out of the race to become Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's vice presidential running mate in the 2016 presidential election, Lieutenant Governor Eric Holcomb ended his candidacy to retain his seat in order to seek the gubernatorial nomination. The Indiana State Republican Committee selected Holcomb to replace Pence as their gubernatorial nominee. Gregg was defeated by Holcomb in the general election for the governorship.[38][39][40][41][42][43][44]