Valerie McCray’s historic bid to become the first Black woman to represent Indiana in the U.S. Senate ended in defeat, narrowing Democratic hopes of controlling the chamber. McCray, a mental health and women’s health advocate, brought a fresh perspective to the race, highlighting issues often overlooked in political discourse. Her loss reflects the ongoing challenges for diverse candidates in Indiana and the uphill battle for Democrats aiming to flip key Senate seats.
“We may not have won this battle, but we will not lose sight of our vision for a better Indiana,” McCray said in a statement provided to Capital B Gary.
“I urge my supporters to stay engaged, stay active, and continue to demand more from their elected officials. Together, we can create a brighter future for our state and our country.”
Prior to her foray into politics, McCray made her name as a clinical psychologist, working with veterans living with PTSD, incarcerated individuals, and children who have suffered from gun violence and family trauma. McCray worked in women’s prisons in Indiana and Georgia.
“Controlling the House and Senate has to be the goal because we can’t get anything done,” McCray told Capital B Gary during an October campaign stop. “It would mean that the middle class, the working, barely working class of people, would have a chance, and young businesses and new startups would have a chance to get started. Homeowners would have a chance to actually own a home. Instead of all these big corporations buying up everything, we would be able to rebuild areas like Gary for the people that live here.”
In her stead, U.S. Rep. Jim Banks will now become the next United States senator from Indiana. Banks served in the Indiana State Senate from 2010 to 2016, taking leaves in 2014 and 2015 to deploy to Afghanistan. Banks will fill the seat vacated by Indiana gubernatorial candidate Mike Braun.
McCray made a splash to win the Democratic nomination. She defeated former Indiana lawmaker and lobbyist Marc Carmichael in the May primary, winning by nearly 20 percentage points in Lake County.
During her campaign, McCray made a concerted effort to court Northwest Indiana voters, making several stops in Gary at Harris’ Indiana campaign headquarters and various churches.
While a McCray victory would have carried a historical significance in Indiana, her loss represents a lost opportunity for Democrats in the U.S. Senate, who held a razor-thin 51-49 majority heading into Election Day.
