INDIANAPOLIS — State Rep. Robin Shackleford (D-Indianapolis) has announced that she will run for mayor of Indianapolis next year.
If elected, she would be the city's first Black and female mayor.
"As I weighed my decision to run, fueled by close friends and family, some asked me why I was even considering it. I have a fulfilling, successful tenure of service in the Indiana General Assembly. It came down to one phrase that kept running through my head: 'We can do better,'" Shackleford said during her announcement.
"Indianapolis is a tale of two cities – one with good roads, where residents don’t worry about putting food on the table and feel safe in their homes - and another with pothole-ridden streets where residents struggle to get enough to eat and worry that at any moment a stray bullet will travel through their wall and strike their child," she added.
The full announcement can be viewed below.
Shackleford said she plans to focus on tackling crime in the city by addressing its root causes, warding off gun violence and increasing youth engagement and improving the relationship between citizens and police.
She also emphasized making healthcare more affordable and food more accessible.
Shackleford represents Indiana's 98th district, which is on Indianapolis' east side. She was first elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 2012 and currently serves as the ranking minority member of the public health committee.
She is also on the Courts and Criminal Code and the Financial Institutions and Insurance committees.
Shackleford previously served as chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus and vice president of the Indiana POWER Caucus and worked as the diversity affairs director under former Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson and as a policy and research specialist for the Indiana Health Care Association.
Joe Hogsett, Indianapolis' current and 49th mayor, took office in 2016. Before that, he served as Indiana's secretary of state and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.
Hogsett has not said whether he plans to run for reelection.
-
Proposed ordinance to target late-night food trucks after downtown shooting
What exactly the ordinance will include is still unknown. Whether it will limit operating hours, specific streets or the number of trucks permitted downtown has not been clarified.
Silver Alert cancelled for missing 89-year-old from Posey County
Indiana State Police have issued a Silver Alert for an 89-year-old white female. Lola Davis, an 89-year-old female, is 5 feet 8 inches tall, 175 pounds, and has gray hair and green eyes.
Bloomington determined to turn hospital site into housing
The city of Bloomington wants to build hundreds of affordable housing units on the site, but none of them are intended for students first.
Youth gun access sparks concern following mass shooting in downtown Indianapolis
Access to firearms for children remains a pressing issue, highlighted by the recent mass shooting downtown that left two teenagers dead and five others injured, all under the age of 21.
