Don’t be surprised if 2018 CD 05 Democratic nominee Dee Thornton (D) – who was effectively pushed aside in 2020 to ensure that former Rep. Christina Hale (D) won the nod – becomes the Democratic nominee for mayor of Carmel in 2023. A strong Thornton run should not be ruled out given the prospect for a divisive GOPrimary, the community’s love-hate relationship with seven-term Mayor Jim Brainard (R), and a huge infusion of new young residents in the multitude of fancy new apartment buildings between U.S. 31 and Keystone Avenue taking advantage of the Monon Trail and the city’s new high-tech employers and amenities.
