By Jessica Kerman
ANDERSON — Julia Lewis, vice chair of the Madison County Democrats, has been involved in local elections for decades. At the Indiana Democratic Convention today JKerman 6/20/08 Saturday, June 21, the Anderson resident will find out if she will be a state delegate at the National Democratic Convention, which will take place in Denver in August.
As she prepared to go to Indianapolis on Thursday, Lewis shared some of her political knowledge with The Herald Bulletin.
THB: How long have you been involved in politics?
JL: About 25 years, loyal Democrat. Twenty-five wonderful years. I was young. My mother was involved. My father was involved, as well. But mostly my mother was involved in the political arena, and I was like, “Ooh, that looks interesting.” My mother seemed to enjoy it, and I wanted to try it, too.
THB: Who inspired you to be in politics?
JL: I know my mom was really active in the political arena, but really, who really got me started was (the late Congresswoman) Julia Carson. How that happened was I was involved in (a social group) here in Anderson, and it had the national convention in Indianapolis, and the person they highlighted at that time was Julia Carson.
She got up and stood up there, and she was just beautiful. The way she carried herself, the way she talked, she inspired us. I was just like in a trance. The things she said and the confidence she had in her, and at that time, that had to be tough for a woman to be in that position. I looked at her, and I said, “I want to be just like her.”
And the good part about it is her name is Julia, and my name is Julia. And so, she was my inspiration. She was my person that said, “You can do it, but you have to get out there and work hard to make it happen.”
Every so often we’d see each other, I’d tell her how much she inspired me to be who I am today.
THB: As a precinct committeewoman and leader of the Democratic Party, what do you do during election season?
JL: We do what we can to get out the vote. Get the people in that’s going to make a difference. You put in a lot of your time and effort, and that’s what it’s all about. That’s how you can make a difference in your life, other people, your city, your state, the whole world. You just can make a difference in it.
THB: Why not run for an elected office?
JL: That’s a good question. I guess I’ve just been so busy supporting other people that sometimes you kind of put yourself on the back burner. I’m so energized in doing stuff for other people if they need me to do something. I work hard to get them elected.
THB: When was the first time you went to state convention?
JL: The first time was the same year (J. Mark) Lawler was running for mayor. I was an elected delegate that year. This time I was appointed by (Democrat) County Chairman Ron McNabney.
THB: What made you want to go to the national convention?
JL: There’s so much excitement. There’s so much history that we’re going to witness, and the fact that I will be representing our District 6, our Madison County, our Mayor Kris Ockomon, the city.
We are the state of Indiana, and we say that we will be part of having a Democrat president that’s going to make a difference, that’s going to do the healing.
Barack Obama is bringing all this excitement out, and people now want to register to vote, they want to vote, they want to get involved — people of all colors, people of all ages. I think that is just outstanding phenomena.
There is just so much excitement that people can’t believe the political air is like this. It kind of gives you a reason to get involved and to vote, when maybe you’ve been kind of laid back. People are ready for change.
We know it can be better, and the only way it can be better is if you have the right president that has the compassion to make these things happen, and that’s for real, from the heart. That makes a difference.
THB: How many delegates come from District 6 in Indiana?
JL: Five delegates from this district. District 6 is not just Madison County. It’s Delaware County, Rush County, Henry County, Portland County and a little bit of the Fort Wayne area. So there’s a large area that (a national delegate nominee) has to compete with, so you have to put your name out. You have to give the reasons why you’re supporting and why you should represent District 6 and the state of Indiana.
I’m hoping that I will be elected to go to the National Convention. I want to represent the best for all of us, and hopefully make a difference and be very supportive of the next president of the United States.
THB: Have you ever been to the national convention before?
JL: No, but I’ve seen it on the news, and I’ve heard people talk about it.
I’m just overwhelmed, excited and ready to do what we need to do. I just said, “I want to be part of making things better.”
I would be the happiest person to be able to say I was part of that, part of the change, part of getting out the votes, part of getting people the information they need, and be part of saying, “Hang in there. A change is going to happen, and we’re going to make a difference, but we’ve all got to work together.”
