A mother, teacher and cancer survivor is the second Democrat to declare she's running for her party's nomination to take on U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th, in 2020.

Kristy Gnibus, 35, of Erie County, officially announced her candidacy for Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district on Thursday.

In a phone interview after she finished teaching Thursday afternoon, Gnibus told the Butler Eagle that she thinks her life experiences orient her well to serve the district in elected office.

“My experiences are my expertise,” Gnibus said. “Every single issue that is at the forefront for most Americans, I've dealt with firsthand as so many others have.”

Gnibus grew up around Erie with a sister and a single mother. They spent much of their lives in a house on farmland in Greenfield Township. She graduated from Seneca High School in Erie.

She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer her sophomore year of college. Today, she talks about the difficulties she experienced navigating health-care systems at the time, and says her troubles persist as a professional with employee-provided Highmark health care.

“Last week, my daughter was denied a medication that she needs every day, and I'm supposed to have the best health care that we have in this area,” Gnibus said. “I'm navigating these things and trying to figure out how to afford the medication that costs hundreds of dollars a month, and I know there are people out there (who) are struggling doing the same.”

The decision to run, Gnibus said, came both out of her own interest in politics and a desire to replace Kelly.

She said she previously sought candidate training independently and started getting involved in local politics as an activist. In recent months, she was approached about running and saw it as validation of her aspirations, she said.

“I don't think that who is representing us now understands the same issues that the majority of constituents in this area do,” Gnibus said.

She teaches in the Millcreek Township School District. Gnibus isn't shy about her career hustles: She sometimes tends a bar and drives an Uber to get by. The candidate pointed out her own stark contrasts to Kelly, a 71-year-old automobile dealer.

Still, she said she believes she can bridge the gap between the 16th district's northern and southern ends.

She said she has visited all of the counties in the district and is planning in-person town halls at each. She'll be at the Butler County Democrats dinner at the Butler Country Club on Oct. 18.

Gnibus is a single mother of two daughters, ages 11 and 14. She said she's hoping to keep life normal for the girls during the race.

Asked for her legislative agenda, Gnibus said easing health-care accessibility and costs is her top concern. Education funding is another, as is promoting financially stable jobs for the region.

Gnibus is the second Democrat to declare candidacy for the seat. She joins Daniel Smith, 43, of Adams Township.

Kelly's district was considered solidly Republican prior to last year, when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court redrew the state's congressional map to curb gerrymandering.

In 2018, Kelly won just 51.6 percent of the vote to keep his seat. That's nearly 10 percent worse than his 2014 win, when he pulled 60.5 percent. He ran unopposed in 2016. He took office in January 2011.

The 16th district includes roughly the western half of Butler County, plus all of Mercer, Lawrence, Crawford and Erie counties.