Indiana Doesn't Elect Many Democrats Statewide These Days... But That May Change This Year-- At Least For Attorney General

-by State Senator Karen Tallian
Candidate, Attorney General

Headlines in the Indiana newspapers have been consistent and recurring for more than 18 months. The story has even made national news. Curtis Hill, the Republican Indiana Attorney General, was accused of being extremely drunk at a party held at the close of legislative session, and groping 4 women: 3 young staff members and one legislator. Republican leadership called for his resignation but he refused. The Inspector General did an investigation, and found that the allegations were true but did not rise to the level of a criminal prosecution. A Disciplinary hearing, lasting 4 days, saw a multitude of witnesses confirming the allegations. The hearing officer, former IN Supreme Court Justice Myra Selby, recently recommended that Mr. Hill be suspended from the practice of law for 60 days, WITHOUT automatic re-instatement. That recommendation is now before the Indiana Supreme Court, which will issue the final determination.

The Curtis Hill story, which has become well-known household knowledge in Indiana politics, is an embarrassment to the State and the office, and has caused the Republican Party here to become unglued. Mr. Hill, who represents the very right wing of that party, has become a pariah.

All of which leaves a great opportunity for the Democratic party. Indiana, arguably a 45 D /55 R state, is not nearly as Red as the gerrymandered legislature would have you believe. Democrats have been successful in state-wide office, especially when there is a problematic opponent. Witness the defeat of the notorious Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett (R) by the out-of-nowhere Glenda Ritz (D). Or the victory of Joe Donnelly in the U.S. Senate race against the right wing Richard Murdock, who took out the well-loved Richard Lugar. And of course, Indiana went blue for Barack Obama.

Curtis Hill is a very vulnerable target.

Who am I ?

Factually, the basic stats are these:

BA, University of Chicago, 1972 with a degree in philosophy and psychology. I come from the left-wing liberal progressive school of thought that prevailed there at that time. Recall that Bernie Sanders was there just 8 years before me.

JD, summa cum laude, Valparaiso Law School, 1990. Practiced law in Northwest Indiana for 29 years, most of which was trial practice.

State Senator, Indiana District 4, from 2005 to present. Currently I am the Caucus Chair for the Senate Democrats, the Ranking Minority Member on the Senate Appropriations Committee, the State Budget Committee, and the Courts & Criminal Code Committee; also serving on Energy & Environment, and Pensions & Labor Committees.

My Career in the Senate:

This is easily paralleled by the 3 Governors who have dominated the second floor of our statehouse.

My first legislative session, I cut my teeth fighting Governor Mitch Daniels, who had pushed through a very controversial proposal for a 75 year lease of the Indiana Tollway, which runs through my district. I became the attorney freshman who had actually read the Lease document and was the Voice against the plan. During the next few years of that administration, I continued to fight him as he pushed a union-busting agenda against AFSCME, teachers, and, his parting shot, Right to Work. As the Ranking Minority Member of the Pensions & Labor Committee, I was the Senate Voice for labor.

Mike Pence then took the Governor’s position, and I spent all 4 years fighting the furthest right wing organizations who supported him. Again, on the Senate floor, I fought as the administration defunded Indiana Planned Parenthood, passed one after another anti-choice bill, and pushed for RFRA. I was one of the most vocal opponents of that measure, arguing against the constitutionality of those measures. As part of Senate leadership, we eventually got them to “take it back” just weeks after the Governor had eagerly signed the RFRA, memorialized in what is now an infamous photograph. (By the way, one of the Republicans who is challenging Hill is one of the people hovering over Mike Pence as he signed that law). Mike Pence also continued Daniels’ legacy, completing his anti-labor agenda by repealing the protections of the Common Construction Wage (aka, Prevailing Wage). Again, I was labor’s Voice.

Now, Eric Holcomb is the Governor. Although trying to stay away from “social issues,” he continues to be a Big Tall Wall, standing in the way of positive change. His administration has blocked Hate Crimes legislation. (I was a co-author of that bill). He also adamantly refuses to consider any marijuana reform legislation. I am well known state-wide as the Senator who initiated and continues to push for marijuana reform for nearly a decade. I have been thwarted by the last 3 Governors.

I can win.

And, I suggest, I am the only candidate who can win. Over my 15 years in the legislature, I have built coalitions of many diverse groups. As champion of women’s issues (health care access, choice, FMLA), I have the support of women’s groups that my male primary challenger can never get: NOW, Planned Parenthood, Hoosier Women Forward, Indiana Democratic Women...

As the Voice of Labor for 15 years, all the labor unions know and respect me, and have always unanimously supported me in the past. This year, some of his local organizations have supported my opponent, but on balance, the union support is largely with me. This includes teachers, with whom I have worked statewide during my entire career.

And, of course, I have the support of everyone who ever wanted to legalize, medicalize, or de-criminalize marijuana in the state of Indiana. This is not insignificant. For many people, including those people who normally characterize themselves as Republican or Libertarian, this is a driving issue. I expect significant cross-over vote from this group. They constantly tell me that. And the Veterans for Medical Cannabis gave me a Legislator of the Year award for my work on that issue.

My Democratic opponent has good credentials. He was a legislator for a few years, and the prior mayor of Evansville, Indiana from 2002-2010. He is a conservative southern Democrat, and likes to taut that. However, he will not say where he stands on Choice, marijuana reform, or a number of other such topics. This is simply no longer acceptable to what is a growing progressive, Bernie-supporting, group of younger people in the Democratic party.

I am their voice.

I need your help.