A Delaware businessman and political neophyte is the first Republican to announce a campaign to succeed GOP Rep. Michael N. Castle, a candidate for the Senate.

Fred Cullis, who runs an industrial sales agency, announced his candidacy Wednesday afternoon, according to WDEL. He said in a press release that he is “committed to serve the people of Delaware by boldly carrying their voice to the floor of Congress with a message of common sense solutions to complex problems.”

Cullis said at this announcement event that he would be an “independent voice for Delaware” not unlike Castle, though he disagreed with the congressman’s vote this spring for a cap-and-trade energy bill.