(La Porte, IN) - The governor is going to be in this year’s Fourth of July parade in La Porte. Eric Holcomb will be the grand marshal of the parade, put together by the Kiwanis Club.

Kiwanis Club president John Pappas made the announcement this morning over the applause of fellow members of the group and Mayor Tom Dermody, assuring that "He’ll be in La Porte to help us celebrate this occasion."

Dermody said he and his staff have been asking the governor to be in the parade for a couple of years, crediting persistence for the governor finally accepting the city’s invitation.

“I think we wore him down,” he said.

Dermody said it’s only fitting for the governor to be here considering how La Porte, for generations, has been declared the state capital for the day on July 4th. Past governors like Evan Bayh have been here for the parade, but it’s been years since a governor has come to La Porte for the event.