Looks like Pennsylvania Republicans will have a contested primary to determine their nominee in the state’s 6th District, a political battleground near Philadelphia that GOP Rep. Jim Gerlach is leaving open to run for governor.

Republican lawyer Ryan Costello, the recorder of deeds in Chester County, announced Thursday that he will join the race.

“We need independent thinkers who will seek to find the middle ground, work together, and who will support commonsense solutions to the problems facing our nation, not tout the party line, and most importantly not raise taxes as a way to remedy runaway spending and government waste,” Costello said.