State Rep. Tom Graves (R), who was first elected to the Legislature in 2002, announced his plans last week to seek the seat of Rep. Nathan Deal (R), who is running for governor.

Former state transportation board chairman and former state Rep. Mike Evans is already in the race as is former state Sen. Bill Stephens and conservative activist Jeremy Jones. County district Commissioner Mike Cowan (R) also recently announced his candidacy.

The Republican primary race is essentially the only game in town in the northwest Georgia seat, which was Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) fourth-best-performing district in the country in the 2008 presidential race.