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Former Buttigieg Campaign Manager Makes Bid For Indiana Democratic Party Chair

Mike Schmuhl joined the race to become the next Indiana Democratic Party chair.
Mike Schmuhl joined the race to become the next Indiana Democratic Party chair.

Former Pete Buttigieg presidential campaign manager Mike Schmuhl announced Wednesday he wants to be the Indiana Democratic Party’s next leader.

He joins Trish Whitcomb in the race to replace retiring chair John Zody. Zody was recently announced as the City of Bloomington's next Housing and Neighborhood Development director.

Schmuhl is running alongside Marion County Clerk Myla Eldridge, who would serve as vice chair of the state party.

The South Bend native previously ran then-U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly’s successful 2010 re-election campaign before helping Pete Buttigieg get elected as mayor of South Bend. He then went on to lead Buttigieg’s presidential campaign.

The state Democratic Party will choose its new leadership in March.

Contact reporter Brandon at  bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

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Brandon J. Smith has previously worked as a reporter and anchor for KBIA Radio in Columbia, MO. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, IL as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.