INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Gov. Mike Pence is praising his successor in the Indiana governor’s race, calling the new Republican nominee “a man of great integrity who loves the people of our state.”

Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb was selected by the Indiana Republican Party on Tuesday to replace Pence, who was plucked to be Donald Trump’s vice presidential nominee.

Holcomb was Pence’s preferred choice to take on Democratic former Indiana House Speaker John Gregg.

Holcomb has never won a political race of his own, but was once chairman of the Indiana Republican Party as well as an aide to former Gov. Mitch Daniels.

Pence says Holcomb stands in contrast to Gregg. He says voters must choose between “a veteran who has always answered the call to serve” and Gregg, whom he accused of supporting “tax increases, debt, and insider deals.”