Former state Senator Karen Tallian was elected as the Indiana Democratic Party on Saturday, becoming the first woman from Northwest Indiana to serve in the role.
Tallian, an Ogden Dunes resident, said she was honored and humbled to be elected chairwoman, especially the first woman to lead the party in 30 years.
“As we move forward, it is our job as Democrats to both reunite internally and reunite with the working Hoosiers who may feel left behind by the party in recent years. I am ready to get to work electing Democrats up and down the ballot,” Tallian said.
The chair seat had one round of voting Saturday with former state attorney general candidate Destiny Wells receiving 14 votes to Tallian’s 18.
“The next thing to do is to reach out to all the people that supported the other candidate and try to mend fences, bring them back in. This is all about unifying the party,” Tallian said.
In the coming months, Tallian said the party will hold a series of People’s Townhall meetings. The goal is that by the end of May, the party will hold town hall meetings in all nine Congressional Districts, she said, particularly the seven Republican-led Congressional Districts.
In reaching Democratic voters throughout the state, Tallian said the party will communicate the actions Donald Trump’s administration will undertake over the next 4 years.
“The White House is going to make it very easy for us to have an audience,” Tallian said. “There are a lot of people who are interested in a lot of different issues who are all getting angry and frustrated with what’s going on in Washington. I think this provides us, and the Democratic Party, with a huge opportunity to bring those people back.”
Tallian served in the state Senate from 2005 to 2021, and she served as the Democratic Caucus Chair from 2016 to 2020. While she served as Senator, Tallian fought to improve conditions for workers, to raise Indiana’s minimum wage and to decriminalize marijuana.
Tallian said the state party plank to legalize marijuana will remain under her leadership. After years of push-back, Tallian said some Republicans in the legislature seem more open to some form of marijuana legalization.
The state has been losing a lot of money to Illinois and Michigan, which have legalized marijuana, over the years, Tallian said.
As the legislators debate property tax reform and the state budget, Tallian said the Republicans are fighting amongst themselves about the best pathway forward because the proposed reform will result in local governments, schools, libraries, and other entities losing property tax dollars for critical services.
Tallian said she will draw from her experience as state legislator into her role as chairwoman.
“I know how to fight, I did that. I also know how to get along. As a member of the super minority for all those years, I had to do that,” Tallian said. “Both of those experiences are going to be very helpful in this role.”
Alex Nyirendah was elected as vice chair, Erin Retif was elected secretary and Michael Griffin was elected treasurer, Tallian said. The party’s executive board has young make-up, and the party will work to engage young voters, she said.
“We also know that we represent everybody. We have to look from the babies and the children to the oldest of the senior citizens, we have to represent everyone,” Tallian said.
Griffin tax talk
Jared Quigg/Post-Tribune Merrillville’s Interim Town Manager Michael Griffin was elected Treasurer of the Indiana Democratic Party on Saturday. (Post-Tribune archives)
Griffin, Merrillville’s Interim Town Manager and a former state senator, said he has served the party since October after he was appointed to fill a vacancy. He said his “heart is full” to win his first election to the role.
As treasurer, Griffin said he will work to ensure that the newly elected party leadership understands how the party is funded. Griffin said he would like to see the party continue to fundraise and establish a formal reserve fund policy.
“I have the skill sets to do this work,” Griffin said.
Lake County Democratic Party Chairman Mike Repay said he was in Indianapolis Saturday and watched the speeches and votes. He said the race for chair was the closest race he’s seen in many years.
Given how close the race was, Repay said Tallian will now have to focus on ensuring those who didn’t vote for her to support and follow her vision for the party.
“I am confident that Karen Tallian has the skill and ability to get the job done,” Repay said. “We need as many of us working together as possible.”
