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The Indiana Democratic Party stands at a crossroads with the opportunity to make transformational change.
SUPPORT WORKERS AND VETERANS RIGHTS
For too long, the Indiana Democratic Party has been overly centralized, focusing on consolidating power at the expense of innovation and growth. This has fostered a culture of "cloak-and-dagger" politics that stymies progress and isolates the party from the communities it seeks to serve.
Drawing lessons from organizational dynamics, we recognize that climate—the shared perceptions of members—and culture—the shared beliefs and values—must align to create a thriving organization. The Indiana Democratic Party must reject outdated norms prioritizing self-preservation over external adaptation. We must allow ourselves to take risks, embrace new ideas, and, above all, adopt the mindset of transformational change. Success will not come without effort, but through this effort, we will reignite the Indiana Democratic Party as a force for good and a champion for all Hoosiers.
The Indiana Democratic Party will recruit, reform, and rebrand!
RECRUIT
Engaging New and Past Leaders: Reorganization is an opportunity to unite new energy into the Indiana Democratic Party.
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Everyone is a recruiter. Recruit leaders ready to drive progressive change and take bold action.
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Mission first. Foster resilience and determination, encouraging members to stay committed to the mission. As we enter reorganization, we are experiencing upwards of 40% turnover across our ranks. You've run the ball down the field for 90 yards; don't quit on the 10-yard line! See your local reorganization through to the end.
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Mentorship. Provide seasoned party members with opportunities to teach best practices and mentor the bench. This will ensure knowledge transfer and succession planning to maintain continuity and experience within the party.
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Back to the working class. Embed groups who feel their needs are not being met into the party leadership structure—for example, labor beyond their caucus seat at the SCC—and ensure their involvement at every level across the state.​
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Stop eating our own. Our priority is to win, not settle scores. My priority is that we immediately foster a climate conducive to winning with less internal resistance.
REFORM
Building a Stronger Structure: The Indiana Democratic Party must evolve to meet the needs of its members and communities. Key reforms include:
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Build a longer table. Expand the State Central Committee (SCC) to increase representation, double the number of sitting district committee members by including the district secretary and treasurers, and finally give a seat to all of the constituency caucuses we have driven away in the past (e.g., Seniors, Rural, Veterans, AAPI, Disability, etc.).
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Transparency and accessibility. Prioritize transparency by eliminating gatekeeping and unnecessary permission structures that stifle progress.
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Ethics. Implement recent rule changes by the current SCC, including our code of conduct and the appointment of an Ethics Chair and Committee.
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The Rule of Law. Strengthen our focus on litigation and third-party relationships to counter the Republican strategy of weakening the rule of law. Indiana has become ground zero for bad ideas (Citizens United v. FEC) and will continue as a venue for destructive ideas to take hold. On the other hand, some of our most outstanding election law attorneys are aging out. We must get ahead by building a network of servant attorneys, especially before approaching the 2030 census and drawing new maps.
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Year-round organizing. We must be true to what we preach: organize bottom-up (instead of as a top-down organization) in every neighborhood by reviving and leveraging our precinct committee model. This model has been made inaccessible throughout the state, effectively gatekeeping Hoosiers from the party at their front door.
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Coordination and collaboration. Getting back to coordinating campaigns everywhere to engage Hoosiers in every zip code across the state, including supporting all House and municipal races, especially those in rural Indiana.
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Engage Rural Communities. Building a coalition that includes family farmers, small business owners, and unaffiliated voters who support issues like public education, healthcare, living wages, and environmental protection.
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Plan ahead. Form and implement a 10-year strategic plan. Success will not come overnight, but we must be accountable for showing progress to our members and voters. Strategic planning sessions will be scheduled in 2025.
REBRAND
Modernizing for the Future: To connect with voters across Indiana, the Indiana Democratic Party must reimagine its public image. This involves:
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Build a better brand. We must recognize that a Hoosier Democrat is not defined by what Washington, D.C., tells us it is. Our identity and values are rooted in Indiana communities and their unique challenges and strengths. We will build a brand that finishes its work at the polls, ensuring our efforts translate directly into electoral success. Nothing is off the table.
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Strengthen our base. While it is time to attract disaffected Republican voters, we have preoccupied ourselves with the crossover vote to the detriment and neglect of our base. We will develop compelling, consistent messaging that resonates with urban and rural communities. Message the 3 Ps: progressive, pragmatic, and populist. At the same time, we must target messaging across our 92 counties and seize local issues that affect everyday Hoosiers (e.g., the Mid-States Corridor, the LEAP district, utility rates, etc.).
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Innovation and Data. Politics has become a game of information consumption where the old playbook will not work. We must embrace digital tools to adapt to the rapidly changing media landscape—be everywhere and on all platforms! Additionally, we must prioritize sharing critical data with candidates and campaigns to reduce dependency on third-party vendors. This ensures campaigns have the tools they need to succeed while fostering trust and collaboration across the state.
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Fundraising with accountability. I've personally had to raise over a million dollars, and I've had to do it quickly, both from large and small-dollar donors, against stiff competition. We know cash is king in this political landscape , and it must reflect our state’s ambition to win. We will build trust with donors by demonstrating maximum transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness. By treating donors as essential partners rather than sources of money, we can inspire confidence and buy-in to the brand.
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Go into the lion's den. A podcast will not save democracy, but integrating multiple communication streams will strengthen our brand. No radio station, social media platform, or news network is off-limits. If the opposition is present, we should already be there.
Closing Thoughts
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By focusing on recruiting new leaders, implementing structural reforms, and rebranding our public image, we can build a stronger, more inclusive Indiana Democratic Party that reflects the values and needs of all Hoosiers.