Former Winter Springs Mayor Paul Partyka will announce this afternoon that he will challenge freshman Rep. Suzanne Kosmas for the Democratic nomination in the 24th district.

Partyka, who now works as a real estate investor in Maitland, Fla., was the mayor of Winter Springs in Seminole County from 1998 to 2002.

Kosmas, who represents a competitive district that went narrowly for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) last year, has been an early target of the National Republican Congressional Committee. Several Republicans have filed to take her on in the general election, including Winter Park City Commissioner Karen Diebel and state Rep. Sandy Adams.