The Indy 500 primary

Plus: An interview with Republican gubernatorial candidate Eric Doden.

FIRST IN IMPORTANTVILLE: Former Vice President Mike Pence plans to attend the 107th running of the Indianapolis 500 as he moves closer to a different kind of race: the Republican presidential primary. He has attended the race more than 30 times.

The Indy 500 is one of the last sporting events in America that hasn’t become politicized: Republicans and Democrats enjoy it without it having been claimed by the culture war. But more importantly, it is a place to see and be seen for Hoosier politicos. It is, after all, where Pete Buttigieg and Pence first met back in 2011—the same year IndyCar canceled a planned appearance of Donald Trump as a pace car driver.

Who is going and who isn’t? I rounded up a list of which Hoosier politicos to watch out for this year:

• Joe Biden’s former White House Chief of staff Ron Klain will not be in attendance, he told me. He has attended roughly 20 races.

• Gov. Eric Holcomb—maybe the state’s most rabid 500 fan—is planning to attend, his office told me.

• Indiana Republican Party Chairman Kyle Hupfer plans to attend. Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Mike Schmuhl, who has attended the last two races, does not plan to attend this year. “Vroom vroom,” Schmuhl texted.

• All three Republican gubernatorial candidates are expected to attend, including Sen. Mike Braun, Ft. Wayne businessman Eric Doden, and Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch.

• Indianapolis Republican mayoral candidate Jefferson Shreve will be in attendance, as will incumbent Democratic mayor Joe Hogsett.

• Sen. Todd Young will not be in attendance, an aide tells me. But his chief adviser Cam Savage will be in the Southwest Vista with his headset, cooler, and 18 friends and relatives.

• Rep. Jim Banks, who is running for Senate, will not be in attendance.

• Are you or your principal going? Give me a shout.