Mitch Daniels & Purdue: Free Speech, Low Costs

In 2012, Mitch Daniels, then serving as governor of Indiana, was already a very accomplished man. The former businessman had worked in the presidential administrations of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, and his gubernatorial administration passed a right-to-work law and balanced the state’s budget.

There was speculation that he would want to become president, and he did — just not of the country. With six months left of his term as governor, he was selected as Purdue University’s next president. Now, with a ten-year record of success in higher education, he has announced that he will step down at the end of the year. In a recent interview with National Review, he reflected on his accomplishments in that office — perhaps chief among them Purdue’s renowned affordability.

About the Author

Charles Hilu

Charles Hilu is a national affairs reporter at National Review. A graduate of the University of Michigan, he previously worked at the Washington Free Beacon and The Dispatch before joining National Review in 2026.

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In 2012, Mitch Daniels, then serving as governor of Indiana, was already a very accomplished man. The former businessman had worked in the presidential administrations of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, and his gubernatorial administration passed a right-to-work law and balanced the state’s budget.

There was speculation that he would want to become president, and he did — just not of the country. With six months left of his term as governor, he was selected as Purdue University’s next president. Now, with a ten-year record of success in higher education, he has announced that he will step down at the end of the year. In a recent interview with National Review, he reflected on his accomplishments in that office — perhaps chief among them Purdue’s renowned affordability.

About the Author

Charles Hilu

Charles Hilu is a national affairs reporter at National Review. A graduate of the University of Michigan, he previously worked at the Washington Free Beacon and The Dispatch before joining National Review in 2026.