Former Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly leaving U.S. ambassador role with Holy See
Update 5/31/2024: This story has been updated to include a statement from Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Valerie McCray.
Former Indiana U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly, who has served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See since 2022 is planning to leave his role and return to Indiana this summer.
The U.S. Embassy to the Holy See confirmed Donnelly's departure in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Thursday afternoon.
It’s not clear what Donnelly’s next steps are once he returns to the Hoosier State. Peter Hanscom, the former campaign manager for Donnelly’s 2018 U.S. Senate race, told IndyStar that Donnelly did not share any direct plans, but that the former U.S. Senator plans to return to Granger and spend time with his family.
“I will be coming home on July 8,” Donnelly said in a brief text from abroad to The South Bend Tribune, a sister publication to IndyStar, confirming the news first tweeted by Hannah News Service. “It has been an amazing privilege to serve our Country and the President.”
Hanscom said the Ambassador role was a “tremendous opportunity” for Donnelly, who has also served while global conflicts have erupted with wars in Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas. He will finish ambassador responsibilities for the G7 conference in Italy in June and a 4th of July celebration before returning to the Hoosier State.
“He’s just ready to be home,” said Hanscom.
Ambassador Donnelly will leave his post as U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See and return home to Indiana on July 8. He says “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve my country in this unique way.” 1/2 pic.twitter.com/gjV7RIMN5t
— U.S. in Holy See (@USinHolySee) May 30, 2024
From 2021: Biden to nominate former Indiana Sen. Joe Donnelly as ambassador to the Vatican
President Joe Biden nominated Donnelly, who is Catholic, to the role in 2021 and Donnelly was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2022. The U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See is the United States representative in working with the Catholic Church’s government led by Pope Francis.
Prior to his ambassador role, Donnelly represented Hoosiers in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. U.S. Senator Mike Braun, who is now running for governor, defeated Donnelly in a closely watched Senate race in 2018. Indiana has not elected a Democrat in a statewide race since Donnelly won his Senate seat in 2012.
Donnelly was born in New York and attended Notre Dame where he received his bachelor’s and law degrees.
Donnelly will arrive back in Indiana days before the state Democratic convention. While Democrats already selected their nominees for U.S. Senate and governor during the May primary, it wouldn't be unprecedented for the party to replace a candidate, should Donnelly show any interest. In 2016, Democrat Baron Hill initially planned to run for U.S. Senate, but later dropped out and was replaced by former Sen. Evan Bayh on the ballot.
But Indiana Democratic Party spokesman Sam Barloga told IndyStar that the party has no plans to replace any of the current nominees for statewide offices. Per state law, a candidate would have to drop out first in order to choose a replacement.
Donnelly has more name recognition from past political experience than Valerie McCray, the Democratic Senate candidate poised to face Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Banks in the fall. McCray ran for president in 2020.
In a statement provided to IndyStar Friday afternoon, McCray said she will not drop out of the Senate race.
"I have no intention of leaving the race and disappointing the thousands of voters who overwhelmingly chose me in a landslide to be the Indiana Democratic Nominee for U.S. Senate," McCray said in the statement. "I won 90 out of 92 counties in the Primary Election. Hoosiers across the state have spoken and are revved up to win in November."
Likewise, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jennifer McCormick faces an uphill battle against Braun, the Republican nominee for governor. Kelly Whitman, a spokesperson for McCormick's campaign said McCormick has no plans to drop out of the race and has had no conversations with the state party about dropping out of the race.
IndyStar archives contributed to this story.
Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at [email protected] or 317-779-4468. Follow her on Twitter/X @CarloniBrittany.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Former Indiana U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly leaving Holy See ambassador role