All INdiana Politics for Oct. 2, 2026 INDIANAPOLIS — One of Indiana’s most competitive Senate districts is the site of a high-stakes showdown as a family physician and a former sheriff vie for the seat vacated by Republican Sen. Kyle Walker. Senate District 31 covers Delaware and Fall Cree k townships in Hamilton County, including most of Fishers, along with Lawrence and parts of northeastern Marion County. Republican candidate Dr. Juanita Albright and Democratic candidate Kerry Forrestal are competing to represent the area as voters weigh concerns over affordability, healthcare, and infrastructure. Dr. Juanita Albright (R) Albright, a family physician and member of the Hamilton Southeastern School Board, says her background in medicine and education prepares her for the statehouse. She has lived in the district for more than 20 years. “As a physician, I’ve served my community and learned to listen and compromise,” Albright said. “I think both of those qualities are very important at the state level.” On the issue of affordability, Albright highlighted the struggle for homeownership and rising property taxes. She warned that while cutting taxes is popular, it requires a balance. “We also have to remember that either we replace that [revenue] with something, or we may have less services than we’ve had before,” she said. To address the childcare shortage, Albright suggested that employers should play a larger role. She proposed using flexible spending accounts and corporate partnerships with childcare centers to secure spots for employees. Regarding healthcare, Albright advocates for price transparency. She compared medical costs to auto repairs, noting that patients often receive bills months after procedures like MRIs without knowing the cost beforehand. She also wants to streamline hospital billing systems across insurance companies to lower overhead. When asked about redistricting and road funding, Albright took a cautious approach. She said she would wait for constituent feedback on redrawing district lines and expressed opposition to widespread tolling on Indiana roads. Kerry Forrestal (D) Forrestal enters the race after serving two terms as Marion County Sheriff and a tenure as a U.S. Marshal. He said he chose to run to prevent “extreme” candidates from taking the seat after Walker declined to run again. “I’ll look forward to that chance to making law, just not enforcing it,” Forrestal said. Forrestal differs from Albright on redistricting, stating he would vote against redrawing lines mid-cycle. He supports the current 10-year plan, arguing that “every 10 years is a good plan.” His plan for healthcare affordability includes a $25 million pilot program to pay off the medical debt of doctors and nurses who move to underserved “medical deserts” for three to 10 years. On childcare, Forrestal proposed financial incentives for women returning to the workforce and tax credits for parents who choose to stay home. “The children, as we all know, is our next generation of all of us, our leaders, and we need to provide them with the best childcare as possible,” he said. Forrestal also addressed the intersection of mental health and housing. He argued against “putting the homeless in jail,” suggesting instead that the state use regional facilities for those with mental illnesses. “We do not need people coming to jail for mental health reasons,” he said. “The last thing we need to do is have law enforcement to be the first people people see when they need mental health because then it’s criminalized.” On infrastructure, Forrestal criticized the state’s current road funding match requirements, calling for more direct investment in metro areas like Marion County. ...read more read less