A former small-city mayor is waging an independent conservative campaign for the Wisconsin seat in Congress now represented by two-term Democrat Steve Kagen.

Joseph Stern recently filed papers with the Federal Election Commission to begin a campaign in the 8th District, which includes Green Bay and most of Appleton. In April, he ended a four-year run as mayor of Niagara, a city of about 2,000 residents across the Menominee River from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Stern’s statement of organization lists his party affiliation as Republican, though he’s running as an independent. He’s concerned about deficit spending, including the large trade deficits that he says are linked to the decline of manufacturing jobs in this country.