INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has avoided taking a public stance on some major policy issues since his election roughly a year ago.

Whether cold beer should be sold in convenience and grocery stores is just the latest example.

Public opinion polls indicate Indiana residents overwhelmingly support changing the law. But Holcomb refused to say during a Friday interview with The Associated Press where he stands on the matter.

The Republican governor has ducked substantive policy questions since taking office. He’s declined to discuss everything from abortion and gun rights legislation, to federal health care policy and the cold beer issue.

He says that frees him up to focus on his own agenda. But it also allows him to avoid unpopular stances, or alienating Republican Statehouse leaders.