INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Republican Party Chairwoman Lana Keesling announced her resignation Thursday, less than two years after accepting the position.
According to the party’s website, Keesling’s resignation was accepted and put into immediate effect.
Vice Chair Jim Johnson will lead the party as interim chair as the Indiana Republican State Committee selects a new permanent party leader.
“The Committee will immediately begin the process to identify a permanent chair as we prepare for victories in the 2027 municipal election.
Keesling was elected to lead the party in February last year after Gov. Mike Braun endorsed her for the role. She’d previously served 10 years as Fort Wayne’s elected city clerk. During that time she held several leadership positions in the Allen County Republican Party. Allen County GOP Chair Steve Shine often called Keesling his “right hand” when she served as the county party’s vice chair.
Keesling’s resignation comes after a string of Republican defeats in Indiana, including the Fifth Congressional District, the Indiana Secretary of State’s race and several state legislature elections that saw the Republican supermajority in the statehouse broken and nearly its majority in the state House of Representatives.
In Thursday’s announcement, Keesling made no mention of those defeats.
“Serving as chairwoman of the Indiana Republican Party has been an incredible honor,” her statement read. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with so many individuals who share a passion for public service and a dedication to making Indiana a better place o live, work and raise a family.”
Gov. Braun wished Keesling well in a statement of his own.
“I want to thank Chairwoman Lana Keesling for stepping up to serve in this role when called upon,” he said. “I look forward to working with the GOP State Central Committee throughout the search and selection process for our party’s next chair. We have a golden opportunity to strengthen our part and address the kitchen-table issues facing families across Indiana.”
Indiana Republicans did not say how long finding a new leader would take.
