Indiana Democrats choose former State Sen. Karen Tallian to lead

Tallian

Former State Senator Karen Tallian (D-Ogden Dunes) was elected by the State Central Committee last Saturday morning as the next Chair of the Indiana Democratic Party.

“I am honored and humbled by the State Central Committee’s confidence in me to serve as Indiana Democratic Party Chair,” Tallian said. “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 served in the State Senate for District 4, and represented portions of Porter, LaPorte, and Lake counties from December 2005 through November 2021. During her time in the Senate, she served as the Democratic Caucus Chair between 2016 and 2020.

As a state senator, Tallian earned the title “Champion of Labor” for her work building relationships with labor leaders and fighting for working Hoosiers. She fought for the decriminalization of cannabis and to raise Indiana’s minimum wage from the federal level of $7.25 an hour.

Tallian says she looks forward to rebuilding the party, holding a town hall tour to hold Indiana Republicans accountable at the state and federal level, and preparing for the 2026 and 2028 elections.

Here are the other leaders who were elected at Saturday’s meeting for the 2025-29 term: Alex Nyirendah as Vice Chair, Erin Retif as Secretary, and Michael Griffin as Treasurer.