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Primary election results are in and Indiana State Senator and Kentucky State University alumnus Eddie Melton has declared victory in the Democratic race for mayor of Gary, Indiana.

In a statement on his campaign website, he said that, “More than half of the citizens agree, that ‘Gary deserves better now!!’ Together, Gary will have the greatest comeback story in this nation.”

Born and raised in Gary, Melton attended Jefferson Elementary, Beckman Junior High and graduated from Horace Mann High School. He received a scholarship to play quarterback at Kentucky State and graduated with a business management degree. While on the Hill, Melton joined Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He returned home to Gary and continued his education at Calumet College of St. Joseph, where he earned a degree in organizational management.

Professionally, Melton has served as a community initiative officer for the Legacy Foundation; manager of Corporate Citizen and Community Relations for Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO/NiSource); chairman of the Indiana Commission on the Social Status of Black Males, the State Board of Education, representing the First Congressional District of Indiana; national board member for the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE).

In 2015, Melton worked with President Barack Obama’s Administration in implementing “My Brother’s Keeper,” an initiative designed to address persistent opportunity gaps facing boys and young men of color.

Melton was elected as state senator for Indiana’s 3rd District in Nov. 2016 and was reelected in 2020. He was recently elected by the Democratic caucus of the Indiana State Senate as the assistant minority leader, making him the youngest leader in the Indiana General Assembly.

Melton currently serves as Ranking Minority Member on the Appropriations and State Budget Committee and was elected by lawmakers from around the country to serve on the Executive Committee of the National Conference of State Legislators. He also served as deputy chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party.

Melton and his wife Crystal have four children.

He will compete against the Republican candidate at the Nov. 07 general election.