Editor’s note: The News Courier will publish candidate announcements as we receive them and as space allows. Candidate announcements should be sent to editor Adam Smith at adam@athensnews-courier.com.

State Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, will have some competition in the Nov. 6 general election as Florence native Caroline Self has qualified to run for the District 1 Senate seat as a Democrat.

District 1 encompasses parts of Limestone, Lauderdale and Madison counties. Melson has held the seat since 2014. Self will be unopposed in the June 5 primary election.

If elected, Self said she would be a strong advocate for education and workforce development by way of high-paying jobs. She also wants to look at increasing funding for roads and bridges.

“It’s time for the Alabama Senate to look like Alabama so that all voices are heard,” she said. “Today, only 4 out of 35 state senators are women, yet women make up more than half of the Alabama electorate. We need senators who will stand up for the interests of Alabama’s women, children and working families.”

Self, a licensed attorney, graduated from Bradshaw High School. She was 1995 Alabama’s Junior Miss and represented the State of Alabama as a United States Presidential Scholar.

She graduated with a degree in government from Harvard College and earned a law degree from Fordham University.

At 20 years old, Self worked as an intern in Oval Office Operations at The White House and later served as special assistant to the Director of Presidential Scheduling.

More recently, Self has worked as a television producer on series for CBS, ABC, FOX, Bravo, Lifetime, Discovery, Facebook and MTV. Her credits include executive producer on “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” and “Blood, Sweat & Heels.”

Self said she returned to Florence to be close to family and “work to make a difference” in the community.

“This is a challenging time, but I believe in our state,” she said. “If we elect strong, compassionate leaders to serve in Montgomery, I know our best days are ahead of us.”