Another candidate has tossed her name into the field for what looks to become crowded races for the U.S. Ninth Congressional District seat in the May 3 primary election.

The newest candidate is Tonya Millis of Mitchell, who is seeking the Libertarian Party’s nomination for the sprawling district that includes Jackson, Brown, Clark, Dearborn, Decatur, Floyd, Franklin, Harrison, Jefferson, Jennings, Lawrence, Monroe, Ohio, Scott, Switzerland and Washington counties and a portion of Bartholomew County.

As of the state’s latest report on filings released Thursday, Millis had yet to file a declaration of candidacy with the Indiana Secretary of State Election Division to try to win her party’s nomination in the primary. The general election is Nov. 8.

The only official candidate on the ballot through Thursday is Republican Bill J. Thomas, who lives in Harrison County, but at least seven other candidates besides Millis have announced their plans to run.

On Thursday, Republican Erin Houchin of Salem announced her plans to seek the party’s nomination to replace Ninth District Congressman Trey Hollingsworth on the heels of his decision to not seek a fourth two-year term. Republican Hiren Patel also has announced his candidacy but has yet to file a declaration with the state.

This past year, several Democrats announced their plans to run for the Ninth District seat in the primary, but none of them have filed declarations of candidacy with the Election Division. Those candidates are Jonathon Cole of Franklin, D. Liam Dorris of Bloomington, Matthew Fyfe of Bloomington, Isak Nti Asare of Bloomington and Babak Rezaei of Clarksville. Several of these candidates have established social media/websites.

Millis, who is a real estate broker with Suddarth and Co. Real Estate in Mitchell, said she has been privileged to work with individuals from many walks of life.

“I know the problems created in D.C. by the broken two-party system are not helping the good people in my district who work so hard to make ends meet,” she said in a news release. “The rules, regulations and runaway debt placed on the citizenry by the duopoly is a hindrance and hardship for both individuals and small businesses.”

Millis also was the Libertarian Party nomination for the Ninth District seat in 2020 but lost to Hollingsworth.