Bray appoints State Sen. Chris Garten Senate Majority Floor Leader

Garten assumes the Majority Floor Leader role began his role yesterday .

STATEHOUSE (Aug. 17, 2022) — Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray (R-Martinsville) today announced he has appointed State Sen. Chris Garten (R-Charlestown) Majority Floor Leader of the Senate Majority Caucus.

The Majority Floor Leader is the second-ranking leadership position in the Senate Majority Caucus and helps develop and enforce the rules of the Senate.

“Serving as the Majority Floor Leader is truly an honor, and I'm grateful to Sen. Bray for extending this unique opportunity to me,” Garten said. “As I step into this role, my primary goal will be to ensure mutual respect for all members of our revered chamber while continuing to represent the issues important to Hoosiers in Senate District 45.”

Bray appointed Garten to the position in recognition of his strong leadership abilities and principled, common-sense approach as a legislator.

“Sen. Garten has proven himself a highly capable and passionate leader, and I'm looking forward to working closely with him on our leadership team in the coming legislative session," Bray said. "Chris is a problem-solver who is dedicated to public service, and I think he will do a great job in this new role."

Garten attended Indiana University Southeast while working full time and serving in the Marine Corps Reserve. As a Marine, Garten served in Iraq in 2003 and 2005-2006, and is currently a gunnery sergeant in the Marine Corps Reserve. In addition to serving his country in the Marine Corps, he founded Signature Countertops, Inc., an award-winning industry and market leader in natural stone surfacing and counter tops.

Garten assumes the Majority Floor Leader role beginning today.

Bray added that he is grateful for the contributions former Majority Floor Leader State Sen. Mark Messmer (R-Jasper) has made to the caucus and Senate as a whole. Bray said Messmer will remain chair of the Senate Committee on Environmental Affairs and will continue to play an important role in the Senate Majority Caucus and full Senate.