Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board President Juanita Albright has announced she will seek the Republican nomination for Indiana Senate District 31, a seat currently held by Sen. Kyle Walker. Walker said Tuesday he will not run for another term, opening the race for the 2026 election cycle.

Albright, a Republican and longtime Fishers resident, becomes the first announced GOP candidate in the district. The Republican primary is scheduled for May 5, 2026.

In her announcement, Albright said her campaign will focus on lowering inflation and the cost of living, promoting fiscal responsibility, advocating for quality education, and supporting public safety.

“My life has been defined by service over self, and that is why I became a doctor, ran for the HSE School Board, and it is why I am now running for the Indiana Senate,” Albright said. “I have received an outpouring of support and encouragement already from people all over the district.”

Albright is currently in the middle of her first term on the HSE School Board, where she serves as president. The district has recently been navigating a contentious contract dispute with the teachers union, an issue that has drawn significant community attention.

A native of rural Indiana, Albright said she was inspired in middle school to pursue a medical career despite limited expectations for higher education in her community. She has practiced medicine in Fishers for more than 20 years. Her husband, Eric, is a pediatric pathologist, and the couple’s three children are graduates of Fishers High School and now attend Taylor University and Indiana Wesleyan University.

Additional candidates may still enter the race. The winner of the 2026 Republican primary will advance to the general election in November.