St. Joseph County Democrats will soon pick a new leader. Party chair Diana Hess has announced she’s resigning.
Hess said that when party precinct leaders meet March 1 to elect officers for the next four years, she won’t be on the ballot.
The county council member somewhat reluctantly agreed to lead the party in 2021, largely to bring some stability. There had been five party chairs since 2011 when chair Butch Morgan stepped down and ultimately went to prison over a forgery scandal.
Hess, retired from a career at Indiana University South Bend, will admit that she’s more demure or reserved than your typical party chair. That’s not the case for the first person who’s saying he wants to succeed her, and who she’s endorsing, party vice-chair Don Westerhausen.
Westerhausen, a cardiologist, says if the party wants to elect more Democrats it will have to get more people in South Bend to vote. St. Joseph County had the lowest turnout of all 92 Indiana counties in the November elections.
"This is the challenge for the chair of the Democratic Party is St. Joe County," Westerhausen said. "Go to South Bend and find out how to get people back to voting again because that's key for us to win elections."
