A candidate for U.S. Congressional District 21 has a simple answer for why he's entered the race.
"Three words...Lois doesn't care."
Aaron Scanlan is one of five Republicans running in the heavily Democratic district.
"I don't run away from challenges, I run toward them. During Desert Storm I chose to enlist in the United States Air Force and fight the tyranny. I guarded the nuclear missiles in the United States Air Force because that's where I was needed most."
The winner of the crowded GOP primary will likely challenge Democrat Lois Frankel in 2020.
"She is beatable. If we were just going to take that where it's a D-plus 9 district, Trump shouldn't have run for president."
Scanlan, who became the fifth candidate to enter the GOP primary when he launched his campaign last week, says he's up to the challenge of working with even the most defiant Democrats in Congress.
"As a police officer I was also a hostage negotiator, so I do have experience negotiating with extremely difficult people and coming to a positive conclusion. It will probably be as hard to negotiate with them because of their stance and their lack of wanting to negotiate."
The deadline to file is next June.
So far the following Republican candidates, in addition to Scanlan, have entered the race:
Christian Acosta
Michael Bluemling Jr.
Liz Felton
Victor Garcia da Rosa
Photo: Lois Frankel/Facebook