Indiana Democratic House leader state Rep. Phil GiaQuinta has announced his intention to run for Fort Wayne mayor in an upcoming caucus to replace the city’s late mayor, Tom Henry, who passed away last week at the age of 72 after battling stomach cancer.
GiaQuinta, who has not officially filed for the mayoral seat, will be competing against several other candidates, including city Councilwomen Michelle Chambers and Sharon Tucker, as well as Jorge Fernandez and Palermo Galindo.
Henry, a Democrat, was elected to his fifth term as mayor of Fort Wayne in November. He revealed his late-stage stomach cancer diagnosis in February and had started chemotherapy in March.
The Democratic caucus to select Henry’s successor is scheduled for April 20. If GiaQuinta or another elected official were to win the mayoral seat, a separate caucus would choose their replacement.
If GiaQuinta were to become the new mayor of Fort Wayne, a new leader of the House Democratic caucus would need to be chosen for the first time since 2018. His office has not commented on the possibility of him leaving the statehouse.
The race for Fort Wayne mayor is heating up as candidates prepare to compete for the opportunity to lead Indiana’s second most populous city. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.