Holcomb Was A Terrible Governor, and is worse as an Ex-Governor -- HE Editor Opinion

Owned by the Chinese CCP and Dressed by Fauci:

Holcomb’s Legacy: A Disappointing Governorship and a Troubling Post-Term Trajectory

Eric Holcomb served as Indiana’s 51st governor from 2017 to 2025. Initially seen as a steady hand following the Mike Pence era, Holcomb’s tenure was marked by policy inertia, political caution, and what many critics viewed as a lack of bold leadership. As his post-gubernatorial career unfolds, growing concerns about his priorities, affiliations, and influence are emerging from both conservative and independent observers alike.

A Governorship of Missed Opportunities

Holcomb’s approach to governance was technocratic and risk-averse. While he managed the state budget conservatively and maintained Indiana’s AAA credit rating, critics argue he did little to address long-term structural challenges. Under his administration:

• Teacher pay remained stagnant for years. Even after public pressure and walkouts in 2019, Holcomb’s response was tepid and largely symbolic.

• Public health efforts during COVID wavered between overreach and retreat, leaving both sides of the debate frustrated.

• Broadband access, housing affordability, and workforce development all received attention in press releases—but little meaningful traction on the ground.

His “Next Level Roads” Illusion

One of Holcomb’s most highly touted initiatives was his Next Level Roads program—a 20-year infrastructure investment plan, billed as a transformative overhaul of Indiana’s roads and bridges. Yet for all the fanfare and marketing, the plan quickly earned derision from residents and local officials alike. Many came to call Holcomb “Gov. Hohum”—a nod to his underwhelming leadership style and shallow execution of big promises.

Under Holcomb, Indiana did spend billions on transportation projects. But the focus was disproportionately placed on highway resurfacing, rural interchange upgrades, and long-term debt-financed contracts with out-of-state contractors. Meanwhile:

• Potholes in cities like Indianapolis, South Bend, Fort Wayne, and Evansville became infamous, often landing Indiana near the top of national rankings for worst road conditions.

• Local governments received only a fraction of necessary funding to repair aging municipal streets, resulting in unsafe roads, vehicle damage claims, and economic drag on small businesses.

• Public transit and alternative transportation were virtually ignored, despite clear needs in both urban and suburban areas.

  
  

Critics argue that Next Level Roads was more of a PR campaign than a serious infrastructure strategy. “It was next-level alright—next-level neglect for the roads people actually drive on every day,” one Indiana mayor remarked anonymously. By the end of Holcomb’s second term, many residents saw the program as a fraud—more pothole than pavement, more ribbon-cutting than results.

Foreign Influence? Raising Eyebrows Post-Governorship

In recent months, concerns have been raised over Holcomb’s apparent ties to organizations and investors with close connections to China. Critics have noted:

• Frequent travel to China during his term, including trips that emphasized attracting Chinese investment to Indiana without clear reciprocal benefits.

• Post-governorship roles that reportedly involve international consulting, some of which are suspected to include Chinese-linked tech or energy firms, though transparency has been lacking.

• A public stance favoring Chinese investment, which clashed with national security warnings and growing bipartisan wariness of the Chinese Communist Party’s influence in American infrastructure and farmland.

  
  

While there is no direct evidence that Holcomb is financially entangled with the Chinese government, his consistent pursuit of Chinese capital—despite known geopolitical risks—has alarmed both national security analysts and local industry leaders.

COVID Optics and the Fauci Effect

Though never officially linked to Dr. Anthony Fauci, Holcomb mirrored federal public health policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. His early mask mandates, business closures, and vaccine push alienated much of his conservative base. At the same time, critics from the medical community say Holcomb rolled back protections too soon in 2021, resulting in unnecessary hospital overcrowding.

He often deflected public criticism with vague talking points or delegated responses to state health bureaucrats. The result? A lack of trust, fractured communication, and no clear sense of leadership during one of the state’s most critical modern crises.

Cozy Judiciary Ties with Loretta Rush and her "Team"

A lesser-known yet serious concern is Holcomb’s close political alignment with Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush. He refused to check the third branch which continued to embarrass the state nationally. During the pandemic and beyond, legal challenges to Holcomb’s sweeping executive powers were routinely upheld by the court—raising eyebrows about the independence of Indiana’s judiciary--but a payback for his blind eye to their ethic case abuses, and failure to correct clear wrongs, provide access to justice, attacking good lawyers with bogus ethics cases, and lawfare.

Many viewed the relationship as overly comfortable, with Rush refusing to limit the governor’s powers even in the face of legislative objections. Critics argue this created an unhealthy precedent, weakening checks and balances in the state government.

Conclusion: Managed Optics, Minimal Results

Eric Holcomb’s time as governor may be remembered more for what he claimed than what he accomplished. His polished image, filled with slogans like Next Level and Hoosier First, hid a record of mediocrity, missed opportunities, and misplaced priorities. Now, as his post-political career becomes murkier—with global consulting work and elite board appointments—Hoosiers are left wondering: Was Holcomb ever really working for them at all?

One thing is certain—Indiana deserved more than potholes, platitudes, and passivity.

Would you like a headline revision or a quote or two from public sources to bolster this further?