Candidate joins race to lead Indiana Democratic Party

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The daughter of a former Indiana Republican governor wants to become the state Democratic Party's next leader.

Trish Whitcomb announced Wednesday her bid to replace state Democratic Chairman John Zody, who announced in November he wouldn't seek reelection to the position he's held for eight years.

Whitcomb's political work includes being manager in 2012 for Democrat Glena Ritz's campaign that unexpectedly won the state schools superintendent's race. She is a daughter of Ed Whitcomb, who was governor in 1969-73 and died in 2016.

The 2012 races by Ritz and Joe Donnelly for a U.S. Senate seat were the last statewide election victories for Indiana Democrats, who were routed in last year's elections and hold no positions of power in state government.

Former Democratic Rep. Karlee Macer of Indianapolis said Wednesday she was dropping her campaign to lead the state party because of a family medical issue.

Another possible candidate is Mike Schmuhl, who was the campaign manager of former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg's 2020 presidential campaign.

The state Democratic central committee is scheduled to vote on a new party leader in March.