Plaid Cymru have announced that South Wales East AM Delyth Jewell will contest the Caerphilly constituency in the 2021 Welsh Assembly elections.
Ms Jewell became an Assembly Member in February, following the death of her predecessor, Steffan Lewis, at the age of 34 from bowel cancer.
Ms Jewell will now challenge the incumbent AM, Hefin David, for the seat.
Following the result of the vote on Thursday, June 6, Delyth Jewell said: “I am delighted at being given the full support of my fellow members in my home constituency of Caerphilly and wish to thank all my supporters for the faith they’ve invested in me.
“I have every intention of winning the seat for Plaid Cymru for the first time ever in the Assembly election in two years’ time and to be a champion for local services and the people of Caerphilly in our national parliament.
“The people of Caerphilly are crying out for change following twenty years of weak Labour representation that has not delivered for the area. I am that change.
“I got into politics because I want to make a practical difference to people’s lives and it is an honour for me to have opportunity to do so in the area where I was brought up.”
Ms Jewell added: ““Caerphilly is the constituency where I have most affinity, it’s where I’m from, where I grew up, and where my family has its roots.
“I was born in Caerphilly Miners, grew up in Ystrad Mynach, and went to school in Bro Allta, and then Cwm Rhymni in Bargoed.
“This area is a part of me. I cannot think of a greater privilege I could have than to represent the place where I was born in our nation’s parliament.
At the announcement event, which was held at Caerphilly Rugby Club, Ms Jewell spoke about her time in Westminster working as a researcher to the Plaid group and her return to Wales in 2015 to work for Citizens Advice.
Ms Jewell went on to say: “Later, I worked for Action Aid, which is an international development charity focused on empowering women and girls in the world’s poorest countries, and I worked directly with women in Kenya, Ghana, Jordan and Nepal who were challenging structures of power that kept women oppressed.
“The common thread running through all of that is that, throughout my career, I’ve sought out ways of helping improve people’s lives, and giving voice to those who need their voices amplified most. I now wish to use all my experience and energy to give the people of Caerphilly the best possible representation in the Welsh Assembly.”