A trial lawyer and former prosecutor announced on Tuesday he will seek the Democratic nomination to challenge four-term Rep. Ric Keller (R) next year.

Mike Smith (D), a lifelong Central Florida resident, was an assistant state attorney for three years before becoming an in-house lawyer with State Farm Insurance. He is now a partner at Orlando-based Morgan & Morgan, a firm specializing in personal injury, malpractice and negligence cases.

Smith is a graduate of the University of Florida and Stetson University School of Law. He and his wife have two children.

After two relatively easy re-election battles, Keller took just 53 percent of the vote in his GOP-leaning district, fueling Democrats’ optimism about their prospects in 2008. Keller also faces a challenge from the right in the Republican primary.
— Matthew Murray