“I really want to continue to serve:” McNally runs again for Carmel House seat

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A Democratic candidate for the Indiana House said he sees public office as a continuation of service to his country.

Matt McNally ran for the Indiana House of Representatives in 2022, attempting to unseat longtime Republican Rep. Jerry Torr. Torr defeated McNally, but announced late last year he will retire from the House at the end of this term. In an interview with News 8 for All INdiana Politics, McNally said he’s encouraged by the strong support he got last time, despite having less than four months to campaign.

McNally is running for House District 39, which encompasses portions of Carmel and Westfield. Although traditionally solidly Republican, parts of Carmel have drifted into the Democratic camp over the last few elections. He said the key to flipping the seat is meeting with voters and talking to them one-on-one about the issues that matter to them.

A retired Naval and Air National Guard officer, McNally said stopping veteran suicide is one of his top priorities. He said he also wants to update rules and regulations surrounding mammograms, noting his wife is a breast cancer survivor. He said Indiana has no requirements for a secondary image if a mammogram can’t detect breast cancer. At the more macro level, he said the state needs to raise teacher pay in order to solve its education crisis. He also criticized legislation targeting unions, saying such laws have driven down wages in Indiana.

“Our voters are smart and they see that the issues that are happening in the Statehouse aren’t necessarily aligned with what they want to see,” said McNally.

All INdiana Politics airs at 9:30 a.m. Sundays on WISH-TV.