As the midterm elections start heating up this year, we sat down with leaders of the Indiana Republican Party and Indiana Democratic Party.
We talked about the state of each party, results of last month's primary elections, and what the future holds for Hoosier Republicans and Democrats.
Election
Here's a rundown of the 2018 primary election results:
Republican Party Chairman Kyle Hupfer says the party is focused on re-electing the three statewide positions on the ballot this year, pointing out the GOP is running an all-female ticket: Secretary of State Connie Lawson, Kelly Mitchell for Treasurer, and Tera Klutz for Auditor.
"The Republican party has proven that we are the party of purpose in Indiana," Hupfer says. "We're focused on, as the Governor said in the State of the State, focused on people, people people."
Senate Minority Leader Tim Lanane says the Democratic Party is focused on breaking the GOP super-majorities in the state house and senate.
"We've got room to move and increase this election, and it starts with have good quality candidates," Lanane says.
Lanane says they're fielding a record number of candidates this year, with Democrats on the ballot in 22 out of the 25 senate seats up for election this year.
Get more election news at indianapublicmedia.org/election
Party Platform
Controversy at the Republican Party Convention began before delegates ever met in Evansville. Chairman Hupfer proposed changing language in the party platform to remove a definition of marriage as "between a man and a woman."
Delegates overwhelmingly voted to reaffirm that language, instead of adopting Hupfer's proposed language that would have recognized a variety of families, including "all loving adults" rearing children.
Hupfer says the debate was mischaracterized, and that he was trying to be inclusive of nontraditional families like a single-parent family.
"What brought up the discussion was, should all of these family structures be put on an even keel by the platform?" Hupfer says.
The Indiana Democratic Party platform strongly backs LGBT rights, which party official Dana Black made sure to point out at the state convention.
"Because, see, unlike that other party who is still fighting 1952 issues, we are flexible and we can deal with the issues that are right in front of us today," Black says.
Democratic Party Chairman John Zody says the party is focused on a variety of issues this year:
"Everybody in the state deserves livable wage, we need good strong public education, we need early childhood education to be expanded in the state," Zody says. "We need fairer elections by getting rid of gerrymandering. We need to protect access to affordable healthcare. And we need every single person in the statae to feel safe, secure, and treated equally under law."
Legislative Priorities
State lawmakers will convene on the Statehouse in January for a budget-focused legislative session.
Sen. Rodric Bray (R-Martinsville) will take over as Senate President Pro Tem after Sen. David Long (R-Fort Wayne) retires this fall. Bray says despite the overturn of senior party leadership, the GOP priorities are still the same.
"There are big seats to fill there," Bray says. "There's no doubt we'll do it, we've got a lot of talented people there willing to carry the water, so it's going to be a good opportunity."
Sen. Lanane says the Democrats will focus on the same issues as past sessions, like hate crimes, education, redistricting and more.
"Indiana has been stuck under the domination of the Republican party," Lanane says. "We can't address reforms when it comes to redistricting in the state of Indiana. No wonder we have an uphill battle, they've rigged the system."
Listen to the full discussion: Indiana Republican Party
Listen to the full discussion on the WFIU show Noon Edition here.
Or watch a video of the discussion below.
Listen to the full discussion: Indiana Democratic Party
Listen to the full discussion on the WFIU show Noon Edition here.
Or watch a video of the discussion below.
