John Richard Gregg

John Richard Gregg (born September 6, 1954) is an American politician, businessman and attorney who served as the 85th and longest-serving Democratic speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives from 1996 to 2003. He served in the Indiana House of Representatives from 1987 to 2003.

Gregg served as majority leader from 1990 to 1994 and minority leader from 1994 to 1996. He was Indiana House speaker from 1996 to 2003. In 2012, Gregg was the Democratic nominee for governor of Indiana. He lost to then-Representative Mike Pence in the closest gubernatorial election in 52 years.

Gregg won the Democratic nomination for governor again in 2016. He was critical of Pence's emphasis on social issues, such as his signing of the controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and his policies on public education and Hoosier workers. Pence withdrew from the election after Donald Trump chose him as his running mate in the 2016 presidential election. The state Republican party then nominated Lieutenant Governor Eric Holcomb for governor. Holcomb defeated Gregg, 51.4% to 45.4%.

Early life and education Gregg was born on September 6, 1954, to Donald R. and Beverly "June" (née Blackwood) Gregg in Linton, Greene County, Indiana. His father operated a union construction and hauling business. John Gregg was the oldest of his parents' three sons. He grew up in small, rural Sandborn, Knox County, Indiana.

Gregg was a 1972 graduate of North Knox High School. In 1974 he graduated with an associate degree from Vincennes University, where he was a member of Sigma Pi fraternity. He graduated from Indiana University Bloomington (B.A., political science and history) in 1976; Indiana State University (M.P.A., public administration) in 1978; and the Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis (now Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law) (J.D.) in 1984.

Business and legal career From 1978 to 1985 Gregg worked as a land agent for Peabody Coal Company and as a governmental affairs representative for Amax Coal Company. when he joined the Indianapolis law firm Sommer Barnard PC. In 2005 Gregg became partner at the Vincennes office of the law firm Bingham McHale, now Bingham Greenebaum Doll LLP. He is a member of the Indiana State Bar Association and the Knox County Bar Association, of which he served as president in 1992.

After his legislative career ended, Gregg served as Interim President of Vincennes University from August 2003 to July 2004, Gregg was succeeded by Richard E. Helton.

Gregg is a partner at Ice Miller and an adjunct at the IU Indianapolis McKinney School of Law and IU's O’Neil School of Public Affairs at the main campus in Bloomington.

Political career Gregg was a Democratic precinct committeeman from 1974 to 1986. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1992, 1996, 2000, 2008, 2012, and 2016. During the 2008 primary, Gregg was an honorary chair of the Hillary Clinton for President Indiana Campaign, and he accompanied former President Bill Clinton to events across Indiana.

Indiana House of Representatives

Elections Gregg's legislative career spanned 8 elections. In 1986 he ran against and defeated Democratic incumbent Representative Bill Roach in the primary election to represent District 45 in the Indiana House of Representatives. He was reelected seven times, in 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2000. He represented Sullivan, Daviess, Greene, Knox, and Vigo counties.

Tenure Over the span of his 16 years in the Indiana House, Gregg spent a dozen years in the most powerful positions in that chamber, and contributed twice to redistricting process that occurs every decade.

In 1990, Gregg went from a back-bencher in seat number 100 to the first position as House majority leader. He served as majority leader from 1990 to 1994 and as House Democratic leader from 1994 to 1996. As Democratic leader, he is remembered for his leadership of a walkout in 1995. ) Gregg was reelected Speaker after the 1998 general election when Democrats took control of the House with a 53–47 majority.

Throughout his legislative career, Gregg was a proponent of tax cuts, including the elimination of the excise and inventory taxes and the reform of property taxes. One commentator noted that despite disagreements over policy ideas during his speakership, "it is hard to find an enemy of Gregg's at the Statehouse." Candidate Affiliation Support Outcome John Gregg Democrat Won David Tatum Republican Lost

House Representative, District 45, 1992

In 1992, Gregg ran unopposed for his fourth term. Candidate Affiliation Support Outcome John Gregg Democrat Won --- Republican N/A

House Representative, District 45, 1994

John Gregg ran unopposed again for his fifth legislative term in 1994. Candidate Affiliation Support Outcome John Gregg Democrat 14,167 Won --- Republican N/A

House Representative, District 45, 1996

John Gregg won his sixth term against Republican opponent Julia Johnson Sheffler of Sullivan. Candidate Affiliation Support Outcome John Gregg Democrat 17,104 Won Julia Johnson Sheffler Republican 4,183 Lost

House Representative, District 45, 1998

John Gregg ran unopposed for his seventh term in 1998. Candidate Affiliation Support Outcome John Gregg Democrat 14,351 Won --- Republican N/A

House Representative, District 45, 2000

John Gregg again successfully defended his seat for his eighth term as state representative and as the incumbent Speaker of the House against his Republican opponent Bud Hood of Shelburn. Candidate Affiliation Support Outcome John Gregg Democrat 16,554 Won Bud Hood Republican 5,187 Lost

Committee assignments House County and Township Committee, 1986

2016 gubernatorial campaign

On April 30, 2015, Gregg launched his second campaign, which originally was to be a rematch against Gov. Pence, who was perceived as politically weakened after signing the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Gregg entered the 2016 race for Governor before other Democrats announced their presumed candidacies, including Indiana state Sen. Karen Tallian and state superintendent of schools Glenda Ritz, who withdrew. In July, after Pence dropped out of the race to become Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's vice presidential running mate in the 2016 presidential election, Lieutenant Governor Eric Holcomb ended his candidacy to retain his seat in order to seek the gubernatorial nomination. The Indiana State Republican Committee selected Holcomb to replace Pence as their gubernatorial nominee. Gregg was defeated by Holcomb in the general election for the governorship.

Awards and honors Gregg has been honored with a Hoosier Hero Award (1996). He received an honorary doctorate from Vincennes University in 2002. He is a four-time recipient of the Sagamore of the Wabash award (awarded by Governors Robert D. Orr, 1989; Evan Bayh, 1996; Frank O'Bannon, 2002; and Joe Kernan, 2003).

Radio show Gregg hosted a radio call-in show in Vincennes and in Washington, Indiana. He hosted the early morning talk show, "Indiana Open Phones," on WIBC (FM), an Indianapolis radio station from 1999 to 2007. The forum covered topics from Indiana politics to folksy western Indiana cuisine.

Personal life Gregg has been married three times. Gregg and his second wife, Sherry (née Biddinger) Gregg Gilmore, met while at law school at Indiana University and married two years later in 1989. They were married for 16 years, divorced in 2006, and have two sons, John Blackwood Gregg and Hunter Gregg. Their children were both adults when Gregg first ran for governor in 2012. Gregg's first marriage was to Kim (née Reichman) Kirkwood in 1978 and it lasted one year.

He is a member of Sandborn First Christian Church. He is a member of the Sandborn Masonic Lodge #647, where he is a 33rd Degree Mason and past Master.

In 2004, Gregg announced he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, as had his father before him. At age 49, he was treated and later pronounced clean of cancer.