Indiana’s Democratic Party will have a new leader in March after its chairman decided against seeking a second term.
Mike Schmuhl announced his decision to leave the state party’s highest post in March to Democrats’ state central committee on Saturday.
His decision not to seek re-election comes on the heels of an election that saw Democrats’ hopes dashed in each of the state’s top-ballot races. President-elect Donald Trump topped Kamala Harris by nearly 19 points, and serious challenges to GOP control of the governor and attorney general seats never materialized as Republicans Mike Braun and Todd Rokita cruised to similarly lopsided victories.
Those results led Black faith leaders in Indianapolis to call for Schmuhl’s resignation, citing a “lack of progress” under his leadership.
“I know how hard it can be to be a Democrat in Indiana, and over the past four years we have placed our party on a path to future success by protecting what we have and building new bases of support,” Schmuhl, 41, said Saturday.
“Our bench is bigger, and our party has more tools and more people involved in the political process to be successful,” he said.
He pointed to an increase in Democratic mayors in the state over the past year, along with an increase in donors supporting Democratic candidates. Democrats in a statement issued Saturday also touted gains made in local government races, including claiming city council majorities in Valparaiso and Muncie.
Still, Indiana’s Democrats face significant headwinds, including ongoing allegations of sexual harassment against high-ranking officials.
This year, IndyStar investigations uncovered allegations against state Sen. David Niezgodski, D-South Bend, Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, and Thomas Cook, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett’s former chief of staff. Each has been accused by women of sexual harassment and unwanted romantic pursuit. Taylor and Cook have both apologized for past behavior. Niezgodski has referred to the allegation against him as a “private personnel matter.”
Party leaders adopted a new code of conduct earlier in December and formed an ethics committee that will investigate potential code of conduct violations against its members.
Schmuhl’s term ends on March 15, 2025, when a new chair is elected. He took the state party leadership post after managing current U.S. transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg’s 2020 presidential campaign.
