Indiana Democratic Party Chair Dan Parker announced he is stepping down following seven successful years of leadership following a landslide GOP election in 2004.
Parker, who was elected to serve immediately following the 2004 gubernatorial election, notified the State Central Committee of his decision.
“I love the Indiana Democratic Party, and it has been my great honor to serve as its chair for the past seven years,” Parker wrote in a letter distributed to all committee members.
“Since elected to serve in November 2004, I have worked each day to make our state party more inclusive and diverse; more open; more efficient and more successful at the ballot box. We have achieved many of the goals we set out to achieve, and we are widely recognized by the Democratic National Committee as one of the best state parties in the nation.”
Critics and pundits proclaimed the Indiana Democratic Party all but dead after Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels was elected in 2004 and the GOP-controlled Legislature stripped a key political funding mechanism that had historically helped the party out of power.
“We proved them wrong,” Parker wrote. “We rallied back to control of the Indiana House and our congressional delegation in 2006, and we’ll never forget 2008: the first Democratic presidential victory in Indiana in 44 years.”
Under Parker’s leadership, the Indiana Democratic Party expanded the diversity and membership of its central committee; recruited a full-time, professional staff; and built critical infrastructure to support candidates and campaigns across the state. Since 2004, the party has raised more than $19 million to elect Democrats across Indiana.
Most recently, Parker oversaw the process that resulted in the endorsement of U.S. Senate candidate Joe Donnelly and gubernatorial candidate John Gregg by the nine Congressional District Committees and the State Committee.
Parker said that while Democrats have accomplished much in his seven years, he knows there’s much more work to be done.
“After seven years, it is time for a new leader to embrace our past successes and take up our future challenges,” he wrote. “I cannot thank you and the other members enough, and I hope you know I will always cherish the memories I have of serving our Party together. I am the most grateful and humbled Democrat in the State of Indiana.
The State Central Committee will meet on Dec. 17 to begin the process of selecting the next state chair. Parker will remain in the position until a replacement has been selected.
