Indiana Democratic Party Pushes Out LGBTQ Candidate

In Indiana, Mike Pence’s home state, the Democratic Party is playing dirty politics and marginalizing black candidates.  They are refusing to verify that candidate Belinda Drake is a Democrat and forcing her to gather signatures to run as an Independent candidate. Belinda is a precinct committeewoman for the Democrats, a board member for the Indiana Stonewall Democrats, (LGBTQ caucus as Belinda is a lesbian) district chairwoman for the Indiana Young Democrats, and former intern for U.S. Rep. Andre Carson.  

Belinda was forced to run as an Independent by the Marion County Democratic Chair Kate Sweeney Bell. Belinda did not vote in the previous primary election, leaving the only way for her to run as a Democrat is a certification waiver from the Democratic Chair, which is Kate Sweeney Bell. Kate refused to certify Belinda as a Democrat although they sit on the Indiana Stonewall Democratic Board together. Kate and the Democratic Party stated that they question Belinda’s party affiliation. The Indiana Stonewall Democrats then tried to force her Belinda to resign as the secretary of the executive board and requested campaign donations to be paid back due to her running as an independent.  

The party is forcing Belinda to run Independent in addition to another young black candidate running for city council office Derris Ross. Due to the slating agreement (can be provided) no Democrat is able to speak out in favor of Belinda not even U.S. Congressman Andre Carson (D). There is a bill HB 1285 in the House Committee on Elections and Apportionment that would end slating in the primaries state wide. Throughout all 92 Counties, Marion County (Indianapolis) is the only county that uses a slating process or “pre-committee convention.” During discussion on the this bill on 2/14/19 Belinda was speaking against slating, U.S. State Representative Dan Forestal (D), after some aggressive questioning of all the speakers, Forestal asks her if she supports the bill because she is “bitter” she wasn’t picked. This can be seen at exactly 30:56 in the video. Another board member states that he is harassing her.