INDIANAPOLIS – Vice President Pence returned to Indiana today, but his visit is overshadowed by the last-minute postponement of a rally that had been scheduled for this morning – creating speculation that he postponed his appearance in an attempt to avoid politics in the home stretch of the toxic GOP Senate primary.

Two days ago, organizers rescheduled this morning’s planned rally on taxes for after the May 8 primary, swapping out today’s schedule for a pair of stops with a lower political profile. No reason has been given for the postponement, but abruptly moving a political rally in the final days of the primary has led some to believe the vice president is trying to avoid what the Washington Post recently called “the nastiest race in the country.”

From the Associated Press: Nation’s nastiest GOP primary playing out in Pence’s Indiana as rivals try to win over Trump voters

For a glimpse of red-state politics in the era of Donald Trump, look no further than Vice President Mike Pence’s home state of Indiana, where a grueling Republican Senate race has been dubbed the nation’s nastiest primary.
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When it comes to the Indiana GOP race, the vice president hasn’t just been civil; he’s been silent. He canceled a political rally that had been scheduled for Thursday in the Indianapolis area and rescheduled it for mid-May — after the primary is over.

From the Indianapolis Business Journal: Infosys plans 125-acre technology hub on airport property, source says

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Pence had been expected to talk about tax cuts Thursday at an event in Carmel hosted by America First Policies, a not-for-profit group that supports President Donald Trump’s agenda.

But America First Policies announced Tuesday that the event has been postponed until May 18. No other details were shared.

The Indiana Democratic Party was quick to attack the decision, though. The party sent out a press release shortly after the update from America First Policies, accusing Pence of postponing the trip to avoid getting involved with Indiana’s U.S. Senate Republican primary race.

U.S. Reps. Luke Messer and Todd Rokita and former state lawmaker Mike Braun are running in the primary and hoping to face Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly in the fall.

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