Karen Tallian
Karen Tallian | |
|---|---|
| Chair of the Indiana Democratic Party | |
| Assumed office March 15, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Mike Schmuhl |
| Member of the Indiana Senate from the 4th district | |
| In office December 12, 2005 – October 31, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Rose Ann Antich-Carr |
| Succeeded by | Rodney Pol Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Karen Rae Kotansky December 2, 1950 Streator, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Chicago (BA) Harrington College of Design (AA) Valparaiso University (JD) |
Karen Rae Tallian (born December 2, 1950) is an American politician and attorney who served as a member of the Indiana Senate for the 4th district from December 2005 through October 2021. She was re-elected in 2006, 2010 and 2014. While serving in the Senate, Tallian, a progressive, has supported medicinal prescription and the decriminalization of marijuana, and has authored bills in its favor. In 2015, she announced her candidacy for governor of Indiana but dropped out that same year, well before the primary season. Tallian was also a candidate for the Democratic Party nomination for Indiana Attorney General in 2020, but lost the nomination to Jonathan Weinzapfel.
Expressing frustration with the way the Republican majority ran the Indiana legislature, Tallian retired in mid-term at the end of October, 2021.
In March, 2025 Tallian was elected Chair of the Indiana Democratic Party.