HIGHLAND — The leader of Lake County Republicans is giving up his party post to focus on his new job as an Indiana state senator.
State Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland, announced Wednesday his intent to resign as Lake County Republican Party chairman once his replacement has been selected.
Dernulc has led Lake County’s GOP organization for nearly 10 years while serving on the Lake County Council.
He said the party has grown its support among voters over the past decade and now counts more than 100 elected GOP officials in communities across Lake County.
“I’m very, very happy with the results. But it’s time for somebody else to take it over. Ten years is a long time to be at the helm,” Dernulc said. “We’ve made a lot of inroads. The Democratic straight-party voting is down quite a bit from 2018. Straight-party Republican voting is up.”
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Dernulc did not immediately identify or endorse a potential successor. He’s expected to preside in coming weeks over a countywide meeting of Republican precinct leaders that will elect a new party chairman.
He believes the next Lake County GOP leader will inherit a streamlined organization, thanks to the precinct consolidation championed by Dernulc, poised for even more success in future elections.
“The people downstate do listen to us now, I believe. I think the party in general, up here, is engaged. We have a big tent. We have a lot of ideas,” Dernulc said.
“Wow, man. What a scene. You can’t make up what we see out here on any given day,” Hobart patrol officer Tommie Tatum said.
At the same time, Dernulc said he’ll miss working with Jim Wieser, chairman of the Lake County Democratic Party, particularly when it comes to ensuring the fairness and security of Lake County elections.
“I appreciate us working well together as two chairmen getting stuff done for our election board. That I will miss. Honestly, the election board is probably the best-run election board that we’ve ever had,” Dernulc said.
Dernulc was elected Nov. 8 by voters in the 1st Senate District, which includes all or portions of Highland, Dyer, Griffith, Merrillville, St. John and Schererville, to represent their interests at the Statehouse in Indianapolis.
Meet the 2023 Northwest Indiana legislative delegation
State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond
State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond
1st House District
Represents: Hammond, Whiting
Experience: State representative since 2018; retired Cook County, Ill., probation officer
Committees: Environmental Affairs; Family, Children and Human Affairs; Natural Resources
State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago
State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago
2nd House District
Represents: East Chicago, Gary (west side), Hammond (east side)
Experience: State representative since 2016; small business owner
Committees: Government and Regulatory Reform; Roads and Transportation (ranking member); Ways and Means
State Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary
State Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary
3rd House District
Represents: Gary (downtown and east side), Hobart, Lake Station, New Chicago
Experience: State representative since 2018; attorney
Committees: Commerce, Small Business and Economic Development (ranking member); Courts and Criminal Code; Government and Regulatory Reform
State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso
State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso
4th House District
Represents: Valparaiso, Kouts
Experience: State representative since 2006; aviation safety consultant
Committees: Elections and Apportionment; Roads and Transportation; Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications (chairman)
State Rep. Pat Boy, D-Michigan City
State Rep. Pat Boy, D-Michigan City
9th House District
Represents: Michigan City, Beverly Shores, Chesterton, Long Beach
Experience: State representative since 2018; retired small business owner
Committees: Elections and Apportionment; Environmental Affairs; Natural Resources (ranking member)
State Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage
State Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage
10th House District
Represents: Portage, Burns Harbor, Dune Acres, Ogden Dunes, Porter, South Haven
Experience: State representative since 2008; financial solutions associate
Committees: Employment, Labor and Pensions; Financial Institutions; Veterans Affairs and Public Safety
State Rep. Mike Aylesworth, R-Hebron
State Rep. Mike Aylesworth, R-Hebron
11th House District
Represents: Hebron, Cedar Lake, DeMotte, Lowell, Morocco, Roselawn, Schneider
Experience: State representative since 2014; farmer, former state environmental regulator
Committees: Agriculture and Rural Development (chairman); Courts and Criminal Code; Environmental Affairs
State Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster
State Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster
12th House District
Represents: Munster, Griffith, Highland
Experience: State representative since 2020; small businessman
Committees: Financial Institutions (ranking member); Veterans Affairs and Public Safety; Ways and Means
State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary
State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary
14th House District
Represents: Gary (south side), Merrillville, unincorporated Calumet Township
Experience: State representative since 1990; education professor at Indiana University Northwest
Committees: Education (ranking member); Financial Institutions; Local Government
State Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville
State Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville
15th House District
Represents: Dyer, Schererville, St. John
Experience: State representative 2012-18, reelected 2020; small business owner
Committees: Financial Institutions; Rules and Legislative Procedures; Ways and Means
State Rep. Kendell Culp, R-Rensselaer
State Rep. Kendell Culp, R-Rensselaer
16th House District
Represents: Rensselaer, Knox
Experience: State representative since 2022; farmer
Committees: Elections and Apportionment; Environmental Affairs (vice chairman); Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications
State Rep. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point
State Rep. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point
19th House District
Represents: Crown Point, Hobart, Lakes of the Four Seasons, Wheeler, Winfield
Experience: State representative 2014-2018, reelected 2020; small business owner
Committees: Commerce, Small Business and Economic Development (vice chairwoman); Family, Children and Human Affairs; Rules and Legislative Procedures
State Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie
State Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie
20th House District
Represents: LaPorte
Experience: State representative since 2016; small business owner
Committees: Elections and Apportionment; Government and Regulatory Reform; Roads and Transportation (chairman)
State Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland
State Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland
1st Senate District
Represents: Highland, Dyer, Griffith, Merrillville, St. John, Schererville
Experience: State senator since 2022; project manager
Committees: Education and Career Development; Environmental Affairs; Local Government; Pensions and Labor
State Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago
State Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago
2nd Senate District
Represents: East Chicago, Hammond, Munster, Whiting
Experience: State senator since 2008, previously served 1994-98; attorney
Committees: Appropriations; Ethics (vice chairman); Insurance and Financial Institutions (ranking member); Judiciary (ranking member); Tax and Fiscal Policy
State Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Gary
State Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Gary
3rd Senate District
Represents: Gary, Hobart, Lake Station, Merrillville, New Chicago
Experience: State senator since 2016; community relations manager
Committees: Appropriations (ranking member); Health and Provider Services; Public Policy; Tax and Fiscal Policy
State Sen. Rodney Pol Jr., D-Chesterton
State Sen. Rodney Pol Jr., D-Chesterton
4th Senate District
Represents: Chesterton, Beverly Shores, Burns Harbor, Michigan City, Portage
Experience: State senator since 2021; attorney
Committees: Corrections and Criminal Law (ranking member); Ethics; Judiciary; Local Government (ranking member); Pensions and Labor; Rules and Legislative Procedure
State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso
State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso
5th Senate District
Represents: Valparaiso, Hebron, Jasper County, Wheeler
Experience: State senator since 2007; attorney
Committees: Appropriations; Health and Provider Services (chairman); Rules and Legislative Procedure; Tax and Fiscal Policy
State Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell
State Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell
6th Senate District
Represents: Lowell, Cedar Lake, Crown Point, DeMotte, Winfield
Experience: State senator since 2014, state representative 2012-14; small business owner
Committees: Environmental Affairs (chairman); Judiciary; Local Government; Tax and Fiscal Policy
State Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores
State Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores
8th Senate District
Represents: LaPorte County
Experience: State senator since 2016; consultant
Committees: Corrections and Criminal Law; Health and Provider Services; Local Government
Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland
Dan Carden
Chief Political Reporter
Dan has reported on Indiana state government for The Times since 2009. He also covers casinos, campaigns and corruption.
