Despite an impressive first fundraising report and support from state and national Republicans, state Sen. Alan Nunnelee (R) may not be able avoid a primary next year in his effort to knock off freshman Rep. Travis Childers (D) in the conservative northern 1st district.

Former Eupora Mayor Henry Ross (R) is seriously considering throwing his hat into the ring, and he said this week that he intends to make a decision on the race “after the first of the year.—

“We’re still traveling the district and meeting people and talking to people about the race,— Ross said.

Ross is a lawyer who served in the Navy in the Judge Advocate General Corps. He served as mayor of Eupora from 1997 to 2001 and more recently received an appointment from the Bush administration to serve as senior counsel in the Department of Justice.

Ross was recently in Washington, D.C., attending a “candidate school— event held by the National Republican Congressional Committee.

But if he does decide to challenge Nunnelee, he’d have an uphill battle on his hands.

Nunnelee raised about $220,000 in two months of fundraising, has already received a campaign contribution from popular Gov. Haley Barbour (R) and was recently added to the National Republican Congressional Committee’s “Young Guns— campaign and infrastructure program.