Mike Delph adjusts to being in time out
Sen. Mike Delph, a socially conservative Republican, may look a little out of place in his new seat in the back row of the Senate chambers with many of the Senate's Democrats.
He's settled into his new seat, but has been publicly quiet since he was disciplined by Senate President Pro Tempore David Long.
Long's staff said Delph tweeted the outcome of a private caucus debate on removing the civil union ban from the same-sex marriage constitutional amendment, violating Senate protocol. But Delph maintains he made his own tally.
Moving Delph to the Democratic side was one of several punishments he received, including loss of leadership positions and a press secretary.
On Monday, he got to his desk, next to Sen. Mark Stoops, a Democrat from Bloomington, before any other senator, as a way to show he accepted the fallout of his actions.
Senate Minority Leader Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, said he welcomed him to the Democrat side of the chamber and didn't criticize Sen. Long for his actions.
"Having not been faced with a similar situation, it's hard for me to second guess what the leader of the other caucus did on this, and I respect what he has decided to do," he said. "I'm sure he's hoping perhaps that will be the end of that particular matter."
He's also hoping the Democrats will rub off on Delph. "Maybe he'll be infected by some of our views and ways of seeing how the votes should go," Lanane said.
Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Portage, had a little different perspective. Sen. Delph was moved to her seat, so she had to move across the aisle.
"I liked that seat," she said. "People think that sitting up front is some big promotion. But I like the back row for a whole lot of reasons. And I want my seat back. I take this as a personal challenge about the best way to do that."
Can she petition Long for a change? No, she has something else in mind.
"The best way to do that is to elect Mr. Ford," she said. She was speaking of Delph's Democratic opponent, JD Ford, in the November election.