A Tenderloin Moment in a Divided Indiana Statehouse

It’s been a dark week in America. So how about a little smile?
In the Indiana Statehouse, nerves are still raw from the failed campaign to redraw Indiana's congressional districts. Last month, Sen. Spencer Deery (R-West Lafayette) helped defeat the off-cycle redistricting effort. But now he's supporting Sen. Andy Zay (R-Huntington), who was on the other side of the redistricting debate. On his last day in the Senate, Zay urged his fellow lawmakers to honor the pork tenderloin as the state's official sandwich. And Deery said: “We deal with tough issues in this building, in this room, and those can divide us and divide the state. I think it is a responsibility of us to embrace the thing that unites us." It is true, nothing can unite Hoosiers like a pork tenderloin sandwich.

Meanwhile, in the Indiana House, Republican Rep. Jake Teshka ( R-North Liberty) and Democrat Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) have united on legislation that would protect "free-range childhood" -- and the parents who enable it. "Hoosier parents deserve the freedom to take their eyes off their kids when they know their kids are ready. Hoosier kids deserve to enjoy that freedom." It is heartening to see lawmakers from across the aisle come together on behalf of Indiana’s kids and parents.

In a Statehouse still bruised by division, these small flashes of cooperation matter. They remind us that democracy is not only defended in hard votes and heated debates, but also in the quiet work of rebuilding trust across differences. That is the heart of ReCenter Indiana’s mission: helping Hoosiers be heard and helping leaders remember that what unites us is always stronger than what divides us.

And, of course, when you are enjoying an Indiana tenderloin sandwich with fellow Hoosiers, it’s impossible to hold a grudge.

Photo courtesy of Jonesy’s Junction in Akron, Indiana - crowned Best Tenderloin in Indiana, IndyStar’s 2025 Tenderloin Tourney