Former Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor Christina Hale announced Thursday she’s running for Indiana’s 5th Congressional District. Hale is the second Democrat to throw their hat in the ring since incumbent Republican Susan Brooks announced she wouldn’t seek re-election.
Hale served in the General Assembly from 2012 until 2016, when she ran for lieutenant governor.
She will face Democrat Dee Thornton in the primary. Thornton will officially announce her candidacy on July 15. Hale says her political background sets her apart from her primary opponent.
“I'm the only person getting into this race so far that actually has a record,” Hale says. “So I have a reputation and a record for being collaborative.”
Hale says she’s prioritizing health care access and workforce development as a tool to support Indiana’s middle and working class.
Hale feels in addition to her political experience, her personal experiences of paying for school and being a single mom means she has a better understanding of what many Hoosiers in the 5th District face.
“I hope people everywhere in Indiana realize that there's hope,” Hale says. “There’s opportunity.”
Brooks announced in June she would not run for a fifth term in Congress.