Indiana’s 1st Black Woman U.S. Senate Nominee Promises To Push Forward

Dr. McCray has many rooting for her despite the odds.

Indiana’s first Black woman nominee for a U.S. Senate seat, Dr. Valerie McCray, is determined to “keep pushing” forward despite trailing in the polls.

With 35 years of experience in the field of psychology, many would agree McCray is more than qualified to address the increase of systemic issues happening within the U.S. government. She has worked with U.S. veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but felt there was something missing in her work.

This sparked an interest in heading to Washington, D.C.

“It was a matter of, do I continue to keep feeling as if I am just not enough to go around, or do I go to Washington, D.C.,” McCray said. “Keep pushing, trying to get to Washington, D.C., to change the gun laws, to change the policies, to try to get health care, to try to get wages and policies that make sense, so that we have less of these issues coming down the line.”

McCray, 65, secured the Democratic nomination in May 2024, and is set to challenge Republican Congressman Jim Banks for the open seat to represent Indiana. According to the Indiana Capital Chronicle, she led the Democratic primary with about 65% of the statewide vote at the time the race was called. McCray said the numbers prove the state is ready for a change.

“The fact that I can claim victory in the primary says one thing: the people of Indiana are ready for someone who understands their struggles who will fight for mental health care, breathable wages, and reproductive rights,” she said.

However, the nominee understands that defeating Banks, who has served Indiana’s 3rd congressional district since 2017, won’t be an easy feat. “Defeating Jim Banks will be a huge mountain to climb,” she continued. “It will take more money, more hard work and more volunteers than ever before.”

McCray first launched her campaign in 2022 but did not receive enough voter signatures to make it on the ballot. This time, she reached the 4,500 signatures needed “with time to spare.”

Poll numbers from The Hill show Banks has a 97% chance of winning Indiana, but that isn’t stopping her from trying.

McCray’s son, Ryan Ely, thinks his mom’s campaign that focuses on milestones that have yet to be achieved, is what will take her over the top. “Our country is getting close to being nearly 300 years old. For one of the 50 states to have never nominated a Black woman to be a senator…it feels like we should have gotten past that before,” he said.

Some of the important issues McCray hopes to tackle if elected are immigration, reinstating abortion rights, and finding common ground for the “Israeli-Palestine issue.” She also wants to combat women’s issues as a champion of mental and reproductive healthcare.

Indiana Democratic Party Chair Mike Schmuhl wrote a statement endorsing McCray, calling her a “lifelong champion.”

“Dr. McCray will be a vote to codify Roe v. Wade as the law of the land, and protect women’s healthcare on the federal level. It stands in stark contrast to Republican nominee and Trump sycophant Jim Banks, who is pushing a nationwide ban on medication abortion, and restricting access to birth control for millions of families,” Schmuhl wrote.

“She will be a voice for solutions as Indiana’s next senator. She will work across the aisle to tackle the scourge of addiction, support comprehensive immigration reform, and bring good, high-wage, union jobs to Indiana.”