Messer picked to lead GOP freshman in Congress

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Freshman Republicans in Congress have tapped a Hoosier to lead them through their first years in Washington.

The incoming lawmakers picked newly minted Rep. Luke Messer as their president in a closed-door vote this week. Messer handily won the eastern Indiana seat Rep. Mike Pence vacated to run for governor.

Messer was a state lawmaker representing eastern Indiana and a Republican Party staffer before being elected to Congress. He will work with a group that includes Indiana's two new women in the state delegation: Susan Brooks and Jackie Walorski.