INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Republican Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb is on a stay-the-course path as he prepares to replace Gov. Mike Pence in the state’s top office in early January.

The sweeping wins by Indiana Republicans in Tuesday’s election also largely decided that there won’t be rapid expansion of the state-funded preschool program or any extension soon of state civil rights protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

Both were issues pushed by Democrat John Gregg in the gubernatorial campaign.

Holcomb backs a slow approach in adding children to the preschool program, saying it should focus on low-income families. Holcomb disagreed with Gregg’s assertion that the state needed broader gay-rights protections following last year’s national uproar over the religious-objections law signed by Pence.