Gov. Eric Holcomb is keeping all his future political options open

In a Q&A, Holcomb dishes on a possible Senate bid, his beef with Todd Rokita, and tenderloins.

Eric Holcomb, exuding some strong second-term vibes one recent December morning.

When I stepped into his office at the Indiana Statehouse one morning earlier this month, Gov. Eric Holcomb offered me coffee in one of the many gifted mugs he receives from various associations and outfits across the state. This particular one featured a photo of a hearse, with a darkly comedic inscription: “FIRST ONE TO THE CEMETERY WINS!!!”

It was, he told me, from the Indiana Coroners’ Association.

“You should spend some time with them,” he said. “Their sense of humor….”

He trailed off, a grin spreading across his face.

This is the 51st governor of the state of Indiana, ever quirky and folksy, the kind of head of state who wears a t-shirt under a blazer for official events as he has racked up a 65 percent statewide approval rating in recent weeks, according to GOP polling. He has, in some ways, mastered the art of threading the needle between the social conservatism of former Gov. Mike Pence and the pragmatic activist reformer’s approach of former Gov. Mitch Daniels as he stays on Hoosier voters’ good side, for the most part.

In an end-of-the-year interview, Holcomb talked with me about everything from his future political plans to his beef with Todd Rokita to whether he has a favorite fried pork tenderloin sandwich (“You're asking me to pick a child,” he said.)

Read the rollicking interview below.