Mitch Daniels Takes Job as Purdue President, Diminishes VP Speculation

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels has been selected by the Purdue University board of trustees to be the university's next president. University officials say Daniels will start in January, at the conclusion of his second term as governor.

Daniels has long sent signs that he is not interested in running for Vice President but his decision to take the Purdue job will throw even more cold water on the idea that he could be on the ticket this fall.

"No institution of any kind means more to Indiana today or tomorrow as Purdue University. It educates at the highest level the engineers, scientists, agricultural experts and information technologists on whom our state and national success disproportionately depend," Daniels said.

Daniels, Indiana's 49th governor, was elected in 2004 and re-elected in 2008 with the largest number of votes ever recorded by any candidate for public office in state history. Chief among his accomplishments was turning a state budget deficit into a surplus.

Daniels also served as an adviser to President Ronald Reagan, director of the Office of Management and Budget for President George W. Bush, and chief of staff for Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar.

Daniels was also widely viewed in 2011 as a potential candidate for the U.S. presidency before deciding not to run.