Historic First: Indiana’s First Black Woman U.S. Senate Nominee Commits to Paving the Way Forward.
Dr. McCray has a strong support base cheering her on, despite the challenges.
Dr. Valerie McCray, Indiana’s first Black woman nominated for a U.S. Senate seat, remains steadfast in her commitment to “keep pushing” forward, even while trailing in the polls.
With 35 years of experience in psychology, McCray is widely recognized as highly qualified to tackle the growing systemic issues in the U.S. government. Her work with U.S. veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) highlighted gaps that fueled her desire to head to Washington, D.C.
“It came down to a choice: do I keep feeling like I can’t do enough, or do I go to Washington, D.C.?” McCray said. “I chose to keep pushing to get to Washington to change gun laws, improve healthcare, raise wages, and implement sensible policies to reduce these issues.”
At 65, McCray secured the Democratic nomination in May 2024, and will challenge Republican Congressman Jim Banks for Indiana’s open Senate seat. According to the Indiana Capital Chronicle, she led the Democratic primary with about 65% of the statewide vote when the race was called. McCray believes these numbers show that the state is ready for change.
“The fact that I won the primary shows that the people of Indiana are ready for someone who understands their struggles and will fight for mental health care, livable wages, and reproductive rights,” she said.
However, McCray acknowledges that defeating Banks, who has represented Indiana’s 3rd congressional district since 2017, will be a significant challenge. “Defeating Jim Banks will be a huge mountain to climb,” she continued. “It will require more money, more hard work, and more volunteers than ever before.”
McCray initially launched her campaign in 2022 but fell short of the required voter signatures to get on the ballot. This time, she successfully gathered the 4,500 signatures needed well ahead of the deadline.
According to polls from The Hill, Banks has a 97% chance of winning Indiana, but that isn’t deterring her from giving it her all.
McCray’s son, Ryan Ely, believes his mom’s campaign, which focuses on unachieved milestones, will give her the edge she needs. “Our country is approaching 300 years old. For one of the 50 states to have never nominated a Black woman as a senator…it feels like we should have surpassed that by now,” he said.
If elected, McCray aims to address key issues such as immigration, reinstating abortion rights, and finding common ground on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She is also committed to championing women’s issues, particularly in mental and reproductive healthcare.
Indiana Democratic Party Chair Mike Schmuhl endorsed McCray, describing her as a “lifelong champion.”
“Dr. McCray will vote to codify Roe v. Wade and protect women’s healthcare at the federal level. This is in stark contrast to Republican nominee and Trump supporter Jim Banks, who advocates for a nationwide ban on medication abortion and aims to restrict birth control access for millions of families,” Schmuhl wrote.
“She will be a voice for solutions as Indiana’s next senator, working across the aisle to address addiction, support comprehensive immigration reform, and bring good, high-wage, union jobs to Indiana.”
