Indy City Councilor Keith Potts announces bid for U.S. Senate

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis City-County Councilor Keith Potts has entered the race to replace outgoing Republican Mike Braun in the U.S. Senate.

Potts, a Democrat, announced his campaign on Thursday.

“Having served on the Indianapolis Council, I’ve seen government at its best, delivering results for our community. But in Washington, I see our freedoms under attack, whether the right for Americans to make their own healthcare decisions, the belief that the American dream is possible for every generation, or our democracy itself, Hoosiers deserve a Senator who will make Washington work for them and fight for a vision of the future,” Potts said in a release.

Potts was elected to the Indianapolis City-County Council in 2019, defeating a Republican incumbent with more than 60% of the vote.

“Every Hoosier, and every American, deserves to have a government that will help them pursue the American Dream by making it easier to raise a family, protecting private healthcare decisions, and ensuring no one lives in fear that their freedoms may be taken away. That future is possible, and we can get there if we go together,” Potts said.

If elected, Potts would be the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate.

Potts is the second Democrat in as many months to announce a Senate campaign; retired lobbyist Marc Carmichael entered the race in June.

The leading Republican candidate to replace Braun — who plans to run for governor in 2024 — is U.S. Rep. Jim Banks.

Gov. Eric Holcomb said in June that he’s “too busy” in his role to launch a Senate campaign.