Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels won't run for president

By Tom Hamburger
Washington Bureau

May 22, 2011, 5:20 a.m.
Reporting from Washington — Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels told supporters early Sunday morning that he has decided not to run for president. In an email sent just after midnight Eastern time, Daniels said that "the interests and wishes" of his family led him to decide not to make the race.

The decision ends a long period of speculation about the ambitions of the governor, who formerly served as director of the Office of Management and Budget under President George W. Bush.

The announcement was sent to supporters in an email distributed by the chairman of the Indiana state Republican Party, Eric Holcomb.

Daniels said family issues precluded a run for the White House.

“In the end, I was able to resolve every competing consideration but one, but that, the interests and wishes of my family, is the most important consideration of all," the email said. "If I have disappointed you, I will always be sorry. If you feel that this was a non-courageous or unpatriotic decision, I understand and will not attempt to persuade you otherwise. I only hope that you will accept my sincerity in the judgment I reached."

The email concluded by asking supporters to stay in touch. "if you see ways in which an obscure Midwestern governor might make a constructive contribution to the rebuilding of our economy and our Republic."

Daniels, an economic conservative with strong approval ratings in his home state, had been encouraged to run by members of the GOP establishment who have been concerned about the quality of the 2012 presidential field. Daniels made his name in Indiana as a cost-conscious governor who experimented in privatizing government services, including the delivery of welfare benefits and the construction of highways.

His announcement follows similar decisions by other prominent potential candidates, including Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and real estate developer Donald Trump.

Daniels had always said his decision was contingent on the support of his wife and four daughters. His wife, Cheri, filed for divorce in 1993 and moved to California to remarry. She later divorced, and she and Daniels remarried in 1997.

The Indiana Democratic Party, in a statement Sunday, praised the governor.

“We’ve disagreed with Mitch Daniels myriad times, but there’s no doubt that his decision not to enter this race is a loss for Republicans," party Chairman Dan Parker said. "Daniels would have brought a serious tone to a GOP field that’s thus far been characterized by silliness and distraction.â€