Democrat Dee Thornton To Run For Open Seat In Indiana’s Fifth District

Democrat Dee Thornton is running for Indiana’s 5th Congressional District. She kicked off her campaign Monday.

Thornton ran against Republican Susan Brooks in the 5th District in 2018, and got nearly 44% of the vote as a first time candidate. It was the best showing for a Democrat since the district was drawn in 2002.

Thornton says her top priorities haven’t changed much since last year.

“What I found in the 5th District, probably the top two issues that I heard most from voters were concerns about health care. And, secondly, concerned about the environment,” she says.

She has lived in the district for 27 years.

“I have a great appreciation of the diversity of the district,” Thornton says. “I think I bring a very fresh perspective to representing the people. I am not a career politician, I don’t intend to be.”

Thrornton will face Christina Hale in the Democratic primary.

Thornton says she was planning to run again before Brooks announced in June she would not run for her fifth term in Congress.