Former state senator Karen Tallian elected as new chair of Indiana Democratic Party
Former state senator Karen Tallian was elected as the new leader of Indiana’s Democratic Party on Saturday morning.
Tallian served in the Indiana Senate from 2006 to 2021. She was the Democratic Caucus chair between 2016 and 2020. She ran for governor in 2016 before dropping out, and in 2020 ran for attorney general but lost the Democratic nomination.
“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,” Tallian said after she won the election.
Throughout her career, Tallian has focused on labor issues, and her run for state party chair was backed by the Indiana Laborers District Council.
“After today, we’re going to have labor back at the table,” Tallian said.
Tallian’s victory comes at a critical time for Indiana’s Democratic party, which hasn’t seen a candidate win a statewide race since 2012.
After Mike Schmuhl announced in December 2024 that he didn’t plan to seek a second term as the party’s leader, five candidates began campaigning for a position that hadn’t seen an unopposed bid since 1984. One contender, Derek Camp, withdrew from the race on Friday.
Former state attorney general candidate Destiny Wells finished second in Saturday’s vote, taking 14 votes to Tallian’s 18.
“I offered to every single person who might have been disappointed with today’s results: don’t walk away from the table, call me, we will work together,” Tallian told members of the media on Saturday afternoon.
Democrats throughout the country are reconsidering their strategy and messaging after sweeping Republican victories in the 2024 election.
“I think we have a tremendous opportunity right now because of what is being blown up and chainsawed in Washington,” Tallian said.
Also elected on Saturday were Alex Nyirendah as state party vice chair, Erin Retif as secretary and Michael Griffin as treasurer.
The state’s GOP is under new leadership, too. The Indiana Republican Party chose Lana Keesling as its new chair last month after she was endorsed by Gov. Mike Braun.
Ryan Murphy is the communities reporter for IndyStar. She can be reached at rhmurphy@indystar.com.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Former state senator Karen Tallian will lead Indiana Democrats
