Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D) has two new primary challengers — both current elected officials — for his re-election bid, according to local media reports.

Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman (D) and North Olmstead Mayor Thomas O’Grady (D) were kicking off their campaigns this week, according to The Plain Dealer. Anti-war activist Rosemary Palmer (D) and 2006 candidate Barbara Ann Ferris (D) already have qualified for the ballot.

Despite retirement rumors swirling around the six-term Member, who is running for president for the second time, The Plain Dealer also reported that Kucinich told Cuyahoga County Democratic leaders that he is running again.

According to The Plain Dealer, Cimperman announced his campaign on Tuesday while O’Grady will officially get in today.

“The late entry of other candidates comes as no surprise,” Palmer campaign manager Anthony Fossaceca said. “There may even be others in the lead-up to the filing deadline … There wouldn’t be this kind of interest in the race if Dennis wasn’t vulnerable.”

Although Kucinich won his district with 76 percent of the vote in his 2006 Democratic primary, most of his challengers cited his second presidential bid as the reason behind their own campaigns.

The filing deadline is Jan. 4 and the primary is March 4.

— Shira Toeplitz