2016: A tumultous year in Indiana politics

INDIANAPOLIS -- 2016 has been a whirlwind year for politics in the U.S. and especially in the Hoosier state.

While the November elections may be the first thing that comes to mind, so much happened this year in Indiana politics that it's hard to fit into one story.

We’ve put together a timeline of some of the top moments, to show you just how crazy this year has been:

Jan. 1: Joe Hogsett became 49th mayor of Indianapolis

• Joe Hogsett was sworn in as mayor, replacing Greg Ballard who had served as mayor of the city for eight years. 

Feb. 9: Eric Holcomb was named Lt. Governor

• Governor Mike Pence named Eric Holcomb as his Lt. Governor after Holcomb dropped out of the Indiana Senate race because he was trailing the other candidates in fundraising by several thousand of dollars. 

Feb 10: Democrats said Todd Young's name should not be on the ballot

• Democrats challenged Todd Young's right to appear on the May Primary ballot for Indiana Senate. They claimed he only had 497 of the 500 signatures needed to run. An independent petition count put that number at 501. 

Feb. 10: Carrier announced move to Mexico

• On that same day, Carrier announced they would be moving 1,400 jobs from Indianapolis to Monterrey, Mexico. The announcement started a series of events and challenges that would play out through the entire year. 
•  Video surfaced of the moment employeesreceived the news about their jobs. The company stated the relocation process would take place over a 3-year period. The work movement is expected to start in 2017, with completion in 2019. 

TIMELINE| Carrier jobs moving to Mexico | Moving to Mexico coverage

Feb. 13: Donald Trump weighed in on Carrier's announcement for the first time, but not the last

I am the only one who can fix this. Very sad. Will not happen under my watch! #MakeAmericaGreatAgain https://t.co/8MQ4imuTTi

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 13, 2016

Feb. 21: Mayor Hogsett, Sen. Joe Donnelly met with Carrier workers 

• It was the first regularly-scheduled union meeting since Carrier announced it was relocating jobs to Mexico.

Mar. 2: Governor Pence met with Carrier execs at the Statehouse 

• Pence called the meeting "frank and productive" and said the company would repay state and local tax incentives it had received. Pence said the Carrier would keep 400 good paying jobs in Indiana.

Mar. 22: Governor Pence signed a bill to end ISTEP testing starting in 2017

• The bill also established a panel that would study alternatives to the test. 

Mar. 24: Governor Pence signed a controversial Indiana abortion bill into law

• The bill was one of the most severe in the U.S.  It prohibited abortions on the basis of race or sex of a fetus, or a potential disability.

April 20: Donald Trump made a campaign stop in Indianapolis

• Complete with interruptions from protestors, some who even had to be escorted from the state fairgrounds. 

April 27: Bernie Sanders made a campaign stop at Indiana University in Bloomington

• Sanders made a second stop on May 3 in Indianapolis where he spoke at Monument Circle. 

May 3: The Indiana Primary was a big day for Indiana 

• Republican front-runner Donald Trump cemented his status as the party's presumptive nominee with a commanding victory – earning 53 percent of the vote, beating out rival Sen. Ted Cruz.
• On the Democratic side, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders eked out a narrower margin of victory, taking 53 percent of the vote to former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton's 47 percent.
• In the U.S. Senate Race, Congressman Todd Young won a decisive victory over Republican and fellow Congressman Marlin Stutzman, taking 67 percent of the vote. 
• In the GOP race for District 9, relative newcomer Trey Hollingsworth claimed victory over a field of competitors that included current Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller and State Senator Erin Houchin.
• And State Sen. Jim Banks beat out five other Republicans to grab his party's nomination in Indiana's 3rd Congressional District.

June 30: Pence's controversial abortion bill blocked by federal judge.

• The bill was blocked just a day before it was set to take effect. The judge ruled that the state does not have the authority to limit a woman's reasons for ending a pregnancy.

July 4: Speculation heated up over whether Gov. Pence would become Trump's running mate

• The two men met over the holiday weekend in New Jersey.
• Pence didn't deny his interest but avoided the question altogether.
• At the time Trump's potential list of running mates included Pence, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions.

July 11: Baron Hill dropped out of the Indiana Senate race

• Leaving the door open for Democrats to nominate Evan Bayh. 

July 12: Donald Trump visited Indiana to attend a rally alongside Gov. Pence

• At a campaign rally in Westfield, Trump played coy with the speculation about Pence as his VP pick. The real estate mogul said he didn't know if people would be calling Pence "governor or vice president" next year.
• Trump was forced to stay in Indiana Tuesday night because of a 'mechanical' issue with his plane.
• Trump also met with Gov. Christie, another potential nominee, in Indiana. 

July 13: Donald Trump has separate meetings with Pence, Gingrich in Indianapolis

• Trump and his family reportedly met with Pence at the governor's mansion and with Newt Gingrich at the Conrad Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. Pence had until Friday to decide whether he would withdraw from Indiana's governor's race.

July 13: Evan Bayh officially entered the race for Indiana Senate 

July 14: Numerous reports surfaced that Trump chose Mike Pence as his VP

• Nothing official had been confirmed, but Gov. Pence flew to New Jersey ahead of Trump's VP announcement. 

July 15: Trump tweets that he chose Mike Pence as his VP nominee or did he? Oh wait, yes he did. 

I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my Vice Presidential running mate. News conference tomorrow at 11:00 A.M.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 15, 2016

• The press conference making it official was postponed until the following morning due to the terror attacks in Nice, France.

• Pence's attorney filed paperwork to remove him from the Indiana ballot and re-election as governor. 

• Numerous reports surfaced as well, stating that Trump was so unsure about choosing Pence as his VP that he tried to change his mind, but those reports were adamantly denied by his campaign advisors and Trump never credited them.

Scoop: @realDonaldTrump was so unsure about @mike_pence that around midnight last night he asked top aides if he could get out of it

— Dana Bash (@DanaBashCNN) July 15, 2016

This is completely false. Zero truth to it. https://t.co/xC8QAV17W3

— Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) July 15, 2016

• The days following the announcement left the GOP scrambling to fill Pence's spot on the ballot for governor.

TIMELINE| Events that led up to Pence's selection as Trump's VP

July 26: Eric Holcomb chosen to replace Gov. Pence on the November ballot 

• Indiana Republican leaders selected Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb to replace Gov. Mike Pence on the November ballot backing the governor's preferred successor over two members of Congress who also sought the nomination.

Oct. 3: A federal court of appeals said Gov. Mike Pence could not block funding to help refugees from Syria resettle in Indiana

Oct. 4: Vice presidential debate in Farmville, Virginia. 

• Indiana Governor Mike Pence and Virginia Senator Tim Kaine went head to head for their first and only 2016 vice presidential debate. 

Oct. 7: Trump and Billy Bush tape leaked to media

• The video showedTrump and Billy Bush having a lewd and sexually charged conversation about women as Trump waited for a cameo appearance on a soap opera in 2005.
• Trump issued a rare apology following the tape's release "if anyone was offended."

Oct. 8: Gov. Pence released statement on Trump and Billy Bush video

Pence said he could not condone or defend Donald Trump's comments about women leading to new speculation about whether or not he would stay in the race as Trump's running mate. 

As a husband and father, I was offended by the words and actions described by Donald Trump in the eleven-year-old video released yesterday. I do not condone his remarks and cannot defend them. I am grateful that he has expressed remorse and apologized to the American people. We pray for his family and look forward to the opportunity he has to show what is in his heart when he goes before the nation tomorrow night. - Mike Pence

• Pence called rumors that he was considering dropping out untrue. 

Oct. 18: Indiana Senate Debate

• Democratic former Sen. Evan Bayh and Republican Rep. Todd Young squared off in their only debate.
• Bayh, who had led the polls until this point, begins to see the numbers slowly switching sides. 

Nov. 8: General Elections

• Republicans claim victory in Indiana. Eric Holcomb, Todd Young, and Donald Trump all won the state, which went almost entirely red for the 2016 elections. It was a landslide win for the GOP in the state, with Republicans taking all of the major state races. 

SEE| 2016 Indiana Election results | 2016 National Election Results

Nov. 24: Trump tweeted that he was 'working hard' on Thanksgiving to get Carrier to stay in U.S.

I am working hard, even on Thanksgiving, trying to get Carrier A.C. Company to stay in the U.S. (Indiana). MAKING PROGRESS - Will know soon!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2016

Nov. 29:  CNN reported that Trump and Carrier had moved beyond just discussions and were not negotiating 

Nov. 30: Trump tweeted that he had reached a deal with Carrier 

• He also said that he would be heading to Indiana to announce those details. 

I will be going to Indiana on Thursday to make a major announcement concerning Carrier A.C. staying in Indianapolis. Great deal for workers!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2016

Dec. 1: Trump visited Indiana

• He announced at an event at Carrier in Indianapolis that he reached a deal with the company that would keep a majority of the jobs in the state. 

Dec. 18: Former Indianapolis Mayor Bill Hudnut died at age 84

• Hudnut was the longest serving mayor in Indianapolis, beginning his first term in 1976 and was re-elected three times for a total of 16 years. 

Dec. 19: Donald Trump officially is awarded all 11 of Indiana's electoral votes

• Indiana's eleven representatives to the Electoral College formally cast their votes to make Republican Donald Trump president.