GARY, Ind. – The jockeying for next year’s race for governor is underway.

Gary Senator Eddie Melton has formed an exploratory committee to look at a possible run for the Democratic nomination against Republican Governor Eric Holcomb, though he emphasizes he hasn’t made a final decision.

But Melton says he’s hearing from a lot of voters who maintain the state isn’t listening to them, on issues from hate crimes to education funding — not just teacher pay, but school spending overall. He says the “complexity index” the state uses to boost funding for low-income school districts beyond a flat amount per pupil ends up skewed by poorly thought out criteria, such as the number of kids in foster care.

The Republican-led legislature passed hate crimes and teacher pay bills, and increased school spending in the new state budget. Melton argues none of those bills solved the problems they claimed to address. The teacher pay plan, for instance, sends more money to schools and offers recommendations on how to spend it, but Melton complains it does nothing to ensure those dollars make it to teachers’ paychecks.

Melton’s been traveling the state as one of four deputy state party chairs, and says those discussions will shape his eventual decision.

Former state health commissioner Woody Myers has said he’s considering the race. There’s been speculation about two-time nominee John Gregg and Indianapolis Representative Karlee Macer.

Holcomb is expected to run again, though he hasn’t made it official either.