The announcement that Indiana State Senator Kyle Walker will not seek reelection has set the stage for a competitive race to succeed him, creating early political momentum in Senate District 31. Two Fishers Republicans and two Democrats have already signaled their intent to run.

District 31 includes all of the City of Fishers and a large portion of Lawrence Township in Marion County. In the most recent election, Republican Sen. Walker secured a comfortable victory over Democrat Jocelyn Vare, winning by an 11-point margin, 55 percent to 44 percent.

The latest candidate to enter the race is Marion County Sheriff Kerry Forestal, a Democrat who is term-limited and ineligible to seek another term as sheriff.  He joins Lasima Packett in the Democratic primary race.

On the Republican side, one local officeholders has announced plans to pursue the seat, another has formed an exploratory committee. Hamilton Southeastern School Board President Juanita Albright has announced her plans to run and  and Fishers City Councilor Tiffanie Ditlevson formed the exploratory committee.

While the early field is taking shape, the political maneuvering is just beginning. Candidate filing for the May primary does not officially open until Wednesday, January 7, with a deadline of noon on Friday, February 6.

With the incumbent stepping aside, additional candidates could still emerge — a common occurrence in open-seat races. At this early stage, it is far too soon to predict who will ultimately succeed Walker, but the ability to raise funds and build an effective campaign organization will likely play a decisive role in determining the next state senator for District 31.