Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Marietta) has tossed his hat into the ring to run for the U.S. Senate in 2014.
Gingrey, who represents Cherokee County in the U.S. House of Representatives, went to his hometown of Augusta on Wednesday to make the announcement.
Gingrey is the second Republican congressman from Georgia to enter the race for the seat, which will be vacated by retiring Sen. Saxby Chambliss.
Rep. Paul Broun of Watkinsville announced his bid last month. While no one else has formally entered the fray, Republicans Rep. Tom Price of Roswell and Rep. Jack Kingston of Savannah and Democratic Rep. John Barrow are all considering bids for the seat, the National Journaland SeattlePi.com report.
In his remarks, Gingrey promised to trim the federal debt, repeal the Affordable Care Act, fight a citizenship path for illegal immigrants and continue his opposition to abortion rights, according to The Associated Press.
The 70-year-old obstetrician-gynecologist has been a resident of Marietta for the past four decades, according to The Augusta Chronicle.
Gingrey served two terms in the Georgia state senate and then moved to Congress, where he represents the 11th District.
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