Gov. Eric Holcomb passionately defended the accomplishments of his first four years in office this week as he prepares to be sworn-in for his second term.

Many of Holcomb’s critics – on both sides of the aisle – say the governor’s first term lacked bold action. Holcomb vehemently disagreed with that charge.

“I think people who say ‘You’re not doing anything bold’ – I think that really you’re saying ‘You’re not doing anything that’s controversial or selling in my neck of the woods,'” Holcomb said.

Holcomb also rattled off a litany of accomplishments – from double-tracking the South Shore rail line in northwest Indiana to finishing I-69 in the coming years; from increasing education funding by a record amount in the last budget to likely increasing it in the new one amid a pandemic; from unprecedented new private sector job commitments to record foreign investment in the state.

“Those are bold achievements, quite frankly, that lead on to, I think, results for actual people,” Holcomb said.

Holcomb’s inauguration will take place Monday.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.