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For the first time in over 30 years, a member of the Breaux family will not represent Indiana’s Senate District 34.
That seat was held by the late Sen. Jean Breaux beginning in 2006 until her death in March. Prior to that, her mother Billie Breaux had represented the district, beginning in 1990. Now, City-County Councilor La Keisha Jackson, the Breaux family’s pick, will take the reins.
At an Indiana Democratic Party caucus Thursday, 45 precinct committee members chose between Jackson and Chunia Graves, a therapist and vice president of the Marion County Young Democrats. Jackson prevailed 30-15.
Jackson began her remarks to the crowd with a prewritten account of her accomplishments on the council and as the chief executive of a not-for-profit, then broke into tears behind the podium.
“Sen. Jean Breaux saw me as part of her legacy to fill her seat,” Jackson said. “If she saw in me the work—the Psalm says, ‘Let my work speak for itself’—I think she’s laid out what she wants you to do tonight.”
Although the caucus selected Jackson to finish Breaux’s term, it did not determine that Jackson would be on the ballot in November, when Jean Breaux was slated to run for reelection. Instead, the state party will hold another caucus after the May 7 primary to determine the candidate for the open seat.
For now, though, Jackson is relishing the new title of “senator,” even if she won’t actually serve during a regular legislative session unless she is put on the ballot and wins the election in November. If she gets the opportunity to serve in that role in the 2025 legislative session, she told reporters she would be focused on transportation, housing, food access, racial disparities and maternal health.
At the City-County Council, Jackson serves in the Democratic supermajority, which means the party has enough seats to meet the requirements for a quorum for business. But in the Indiana Senate, Republicans hold a supermajority. That would be a “huge adjustment,” Jackson acknowledged.
At the City-County Council, Jackson has represented the far-east-side for a decade. When she gets sworn into office as a state senator next week, she’ll automatically vacate her seat. That will set off a process in which Marion County Democratic Chair Myla Eldridge will need to schedule a caucus within 30 days to replace her. Precinct committee members within just the council district will then cast ballots at a caucus to choose Jackson’s replacement.
Jackson was reelected just last year, so her replacement would serve the remainder of a term that ends in 2027. She told reporters Thursday night that she doesn’t have immediate plans to endorse a successor but that she and party officials have already started discussing potential candidates.
Jackson is also CEO of Pathway Resource Center, a far-east-side not-for-profit that aims to provide access to affordable housing, transportation services, resources and training that promote self-sufficiency for disadvantaged and underserved residents.
Graves faced past election issues
In Graves’ opening remarks Thursday night, she emphasized that her work as a clinical therapist exposes her to the impact of systemic problems.
“Chances are I’m treating the symptoms,” Graves said. “Today I’d like the opportunity to treat the cause.”
Graves, whose first name is pronounced “Shania,” is a former Division 1 volleyball player who spent years in Florida and California getting her college education. That former college athlete’s competitive drive got her through canvassing and phone-banking as part of an effort to help Lawrence Democrats including Mayor Deb Whitfield get elected last year, she told IBJ.
Despite involvement with the Marion County Democratic Party, however, Graves has twice been denied access to the ballot because of her voting record. As part of a recently created requirement, Indiana candidates must have voted within the party they wish to run under in two previous elections in the state. Otherwise, they must get permission from the party chair to be on the ballot.
Prior to the 2023 primary election, Graves had filed to run for a council seat in Lawrence. Her candidacy was challenged and struck by the Marion County Election Board because she didn’t meet the Indiana primary voting record requirement. Prior to Breaux’s death, Graves had filed to run in the Democratic primary for the district. Her candidacy was struck by a state election board for the same reason.
She indicated to reporters after the caucus that she disagreed with the state law that’s previously barred her from running for office but allowed her to enter the caucus.
“I still think it’s very interesting, really, that the community couldn’t elect me but a caucus can,” Graves said. “But nevertheless, you know, I’m driven, I remain focused on my initial goals, which are to implement the changes in a proactive measure.”
In her remarks thanking the voters, Jackson thanked Graves for running.
“That’s what democracy is about. There is a place for you in this party,” she said.
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