FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — Businessman Eric Doden, the only person running for Indiana Governor from the northeast part of the state, floated the idea of a tax break for Hoosier nurses in an exclusive interview with WANE 15 on Wednesday.

Doden is running for the Republican nomination to replace Eric Holcomb, whose second term ends in 2024. U.S. Senator Mike Braun and Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch are also running.

Doden said he wants to run a “campaign of ideas.”

Among the policy proposals on his website, Doden suggested Indiana teachers receive a repeal of income taxes and a credit for property taxes.

Doden said the idea to include nurses in the tax relief stemmed for his statewide listening tour, where he has been told Indiana lacks workers in health care.

“How do we recruit nurses? Do we do some of the things with nurses similar to what we’ve recommended with teachers where we make them property tax and income tax free,” he rhetorically asked. “I think the benefit of pitching ideas is that you get good ideas back from people who want to solve problems within their sphere.”

Doden also light-heartedly noted that since his 92-county listening tour started in 2021 he has gained no weight.

“There’s some great pies all over the state of Indiana,” he laughed.

The primary for governor is May 7, 2024.