BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has announced a comprehensive two-night 2026 Candidate Forum. The event will feature 10 candidates across four upcoming local, state, and federal elections.
The forum is scheduled for late February and early March at First United Church, located at 2420 East Third Street. According to organizers, the event aims to provide a platform for representatives who will “fight for the working class and against inequality, corporate greed, and authoritarianism”.
The forum is divided into two themed nights focusing on different levels of government:
Night 1: Monroe County
Thursday, February 26 at 6:00 p.m. This session will focus on critical county-level races, featuring candidates for:
- Monroe County Commissioner: David Henry and Trent Deckard. Henry and Deckard are both current county councilors at-large who are seeking the District 1 seat currently held by Lee Jones.
- Monroe County Prosecutor: Benjamin Arrington and incumbent Erika Oliphant. Oliphant is facing a primary challenge from Arrington for the Democratic nomination.
Night 2: State & Congress
Thursday, March 05 at 6:00 p.m. The second night shifts to legislative and federal representation, featuring candidates for:
- Statehouse District 61: Lilliana Young and incumbent Matt Pierce. This race marks the first time Pierce has faced a primary challenger in over 20 years. Young, a democratic socialist and member of the local Human Rights Commission, is challenging the long-time incumbent on a worker-first platform.
- Congress District 9: Brad Meyer, Tim Peck, Floyd Taylor, and Keil Roark. These candidates are competing for the opportunity to challenge the incumbent in a district that includes Bloomington and much of south-central Indiana.
The community is invited to join the forum in person at First United Church to meet the candidates and ensure their representatives “truly represent” the community.
For those unable to attend in person, the event will be livestreamed at bloomingtondsa.org/candidate-forum.
The forum is supported by several local organizations, including the College Democrats at Indiana University, the Monroe County Young Democrats, and the Monroe County Education Association.
