Democrat Chad McGowan, a lawyer from Rock Hill, said Monday that he’s setting aside his legal practice to run full-time against South Carolina Sen. Jim Demint.

Despite national Democratic outrage earlier this year over DeMint’s comments about making President Barack Obama’s health care effort the president’s “Waterloo,” McGowan faces a steep uphill fight when it comes to knocking off the conservative champion.

The Republican incumbent had nearly $2.9 million on hand at the end of September.