Cynthia Wirth

Wirth was born and raised in Columbus, Indiana, and graduated from Columbus North High School. She describes herself as a first-generation college graduate.[1][2] She earned a B.A. in biology and Spanish from the University of Evansville in 1992, an M.A. in anthropology/archaeology/underwater cultural resource management from Indiana University Bloomington in 2009, and a Ph.D. from Ball State University in 2025.[1][6]

Wirth worked as a high school biology and environmental science teacher, a research consultant, and a facilitator of biology and environmental science with CSA New Tech, and has been a small business owner. Her campaign website says she taught at Columbus Signature Academy for more than 10 years and has owned a community business for more than 20 years.[1][6] She was selected as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow with the U.S. Department of Energy as a legislative fellow. Her campaign website says she served as a science and education expert for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018 and 2019 and that one of the federal bills she wrote there became law in 2020.[1][2][6]

Wirth has served as an Educational Ambassador for Friends of Miyoshi, Japan, and her Ballotpedia profile lists professional affiliations including archaeology societies and Sunrise Rotary.[1][2] She ran for the seat in 2024 as the Democratic nominee and lost the general election to Jefferson Shreve, 31.7% to 63.9%. According to her campaign website, she also had a congressional campaign in 2022.[1][6] According to her campaign materials, she and her husband, Trent, have lived in downtown Columbus for 30 years and have two grown children.[2] During the 2026 campaign, she emphasized health care, education and affordability.[1][2] In the 2026 race, she received 44.9% of the vote to Jefferson Shreve's 55.1%, according to unofficial results reported by NBC News.[3]