(WHTM) — Mercedes Evans, a Camp Hill Borough Councilwoman, has announced her intentions to run for Pennsylvania House District 103.

Evans is running for the seat that will be vacated by Pennsylvania State Rep. Patty Kim as she runs for State Senate.

According to her campaign, if successful, Evans will be the first Latina from Central Pennsylvania to be elected to the State House.

“From the time I was a child, my parents taught me that I could be of service to others regardless of what my circumstances were,”  Evans said in her campaign announcement. “I didn’t grow up with a lot, but with what we had, we fostered community and served one another – that lesson stuck with me and that’s what inspired me to run for Camp Hill Borough Council; it’s what’s inspiring me to run for the House of Representatives. This is a unique district, newly drawn just a few years ago and I’m running to represent both sides of the river that have historically been so divided. I’m running to fight for the issues that unite us, and champion the causes that can improve all our lives – things like addressing the affordable housing shortage, ensuring all of our public schools are fully and fairly funded, and bolstering economic development in the district.”

Evans was first elected to Camp Hill Borough Council in 2021. She currently chairs the public safety and parks and recreation committees.

In her current role, Evans says she has advocated and voted for to protect the long-term sustainability of the Camp Hill community, worked to improve police-community engagement and transparency and fought for pedestrian safety. Her campaign announcement also notes her history of community service including donation drives for first responders, animal shelters, and food pantries.

Evans’ announcement comes days after Harrisburg resident and community leader Tina Nixon also announced her candidacy for the seat.

According to her campaign, Evans has nearly 15 years of experience as an office administrator in the public and non-profit sectors. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language from the University of San Diego and minor in Political Science.

The campaign announcement also says the Evans enjoys cooking Mexican food and spending time with her husband William and their dog Honey and cat Jasper in her free time.