3rd Democrat Joining Indiana Governor's Race With GOP Backer

Associated Press

First-term Sen. Eddie Melton of Gary is formally entering the Indiana governor's race.
*FILE: Brandon Smith/IPB News*

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A Democratic state senator is formally entering the Indiana governor's race with the state's Republican schools chief expected by his side.

First-term Sen. Eddie Melton of Gary tells The (Northwest Indiana) Times that he's joining the 2020 race because most people feel that the Republican-led state government isn't focused on issues like increased education funding and health care access that matter the most.

Melton has a Tuesday evening announcement event set in Gary. He'll be the third Democrat seeking the party's nomination to challenge Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb.

Melton's campaign says Republican state schools Superintendent Jennifer McCormick will join in the announcement. McCormick drew the ire of top Republicans when she joined Melton at several public meetings over the summer as he considered entering the governor's race.

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