Indianapolis mayor: general election 2023

The political action committee of ReCenter Indiana is pleased to announce our endorsement of Jefferson Shreve in this fall’s general election for mayor of Indianapolis.

We are grateful for Shreve’s willingness to sit down with us to discuss his candidacy and qualifications. His past service on the City-County Council and his leadership in prominent civic organizations and in business should prepare him for running the state’s largest city.

Unfortunately, Mayor Joe Hogsett did not see fit to participate in our interview process. This deprives Indianapolis voters of an opportunity to see and hear both candidates’ unscripted responses, side by side, to a parallel set of questions.

We found Shreve to be thoughtful and nuanced in his understanding of the challenges facing Indianapolis, many of which have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Many of his policy positions are similar to the incumbent’s. That includes Shreve’s position that curbing gun violence has been made more difficult by the Republican supermajority in the Statehouse.

On issues ranging from localized gun restrictions to downtown pedestrian safety, the Indiana General Assembly has been bent on obstructing rather than assisting Indianapolis. Our capital city deserves better; its economic and cultural energy are vital to the entire state.

Mayor Hogsett has struggled without success against the legislature’s actions to limit home rule. Shreve says he’ll stand a better chance of working productively with his fellow Republicans who hold the reins of power at the state level. We hope he’s right about that.

Shreve already has experience working with the Democratic majority on the City-County Council. That, too, should be helpful in moving Indianapolis forward.