Latest news with #KarenTallian
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State Democratic party clings to the past rather than welcoming the next generation
(Getty Images) Every time I've left a position in politics, my goal has been to leave a team stronger than when I started. That's the job, after all — to build, to mentor, to prepare the next generation to lead. And yet, in too many corners of our political infrastructure, people hoard power, cling to positions long past their prime, and fail to do the fundamental work of succession planning. And then we wonder why our party struggles. When I left my role at the Indiana Senate, I left behind a team I had helped shape. Not one, but two former interns I had the privilege to work with went on to take my role as Communications Director. That's how it should be. When we do this work right, when we invest in people, when we recognize that institutional knowledge should be passed down rather than held hostage, we get stronger. We grow. We fail — tragically and repeatedly — when we do not provide the protections necessary to retain the talent we develop. One of those brilliant young women who stepped into my former role ultimately had to leave. Not because she wasn't capable, not because she wasn't committed, but because the system would not keep her safe. Leaders on both ends of Market Street in Indianapolis lack the appetite to shield staff, especially women, from harassment and abuse. Until we face this head-on, we will continue hemorrhaging talent—not because people don't believe in the work, but because our systems don't protect them. Indiana Democrats elect Karen Tallian, others as new leadership team This isn't just an issue of workplace safety; it's a workers' rights and retention crisis. And it's directly tied to the larger sickness afflicting our political party structure. If you are a leader in this work — whether an elected official, a party figure, or a high-level staffer — who has been in this game for decades without producing and elevating a pipeline of new leadership, you have failed. If you cannot look at the next generation and identify people you have mentored, empowered, and helped place into meaningful positions after intentionally stepping aside from those positions, early and often, you are not a leader, you are an obstacle. Donors who continue to invest in the same candidates over and over, prioritizing a scarcity mindset and access to government contracts over real abundance and accountability, are keeping our party small and ineffective. When money flows only to those already entrenched in power, those who have proven to be a threat to the people working with them or who have chosen to protect abusers instead of survivors, we reinforce the very problems that make us weak. Funding should hold electeds accountable, empower fresh leadership, and grow the party — not sustain mediocrity and misconduct. We must listen, without defensiveness and ego, to the voices of the real leaders of the party in our state — the people working outside of the chattering class' echo chamber, organizing in rural areas, in constituency caucuses, and on the ground daily. They are doing the hard, long-haul work, and we need to listen to and respond to the data they share with us from those we haven't been able to engage with in the past. As we fold these emergent and energetic folks into our operations, we must protect them. If you enact a code of conduct, make sure everyone knows what it is and hold people accountable when they violate it. If you value new leadership, put your money, time, and effort into cultivating and elevating it. Anything less is empty rhetoric. The Indiana Democratic Party is unwell because we do not prioritize sustainable leadership. We cling to the past, forcing the next crop of doers to fight their way in rather than be welcomed. And as long as we operate this way, we will continue to stagnate. Leadership is not about tenure. It is about legacy. And if your legacy is only your own career, you have left nothing behind worth keeping. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Chicago Tribune
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Tallian elected to lead Indiana Democrats
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, 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.'
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Indiana Democrats elect Tallian, others as new leadership team
Karen Tallian, former Democratic state senator for Ogden Dunes. (Provided photo) The Indiana Democratic Party's central committee on Saturday elected former state senator Karen Tallian as the next chair of the state party. She defeated Destiny Wells by a vote of 18-14. 'I am honored and humbled by the State Central Committee's confidence in me to serve as Indiana Democratic Party Chair,' said Tallian, of Ogden Dunes. '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.' She replaces Mike Schmuhl, who decided not to seek re-election to the post. Several other contenders dropped out of the race in the days before the vote, including former Allen County Democratic Party Chair Derek Camp and at-large Gary Common Council Member Darren Washington. Tallian represented portions of Porter, LaPorte, and Lake counties in the Senate from December, 2005 through November, 2021. During her time in the Senate, she served as the Democratic Caucus Chair between 2016 and 2020. While in the Senate she had strong relationships with labor leaders; fought for decriminalizing marijuana and sought to raise Indiana's minimum wage. A press release said Tallian is looking 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, Vice Chair; Erin Retif, Secretary; and Michael Griffin, Treasurer. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
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@ This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Former state senator Karen Tallian will lead Indiana Democrats
