Dr. John McGoff (R) kicked off his campaign to try for a third time to defeat 15-term Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) in 2012.

In their first matchup in 2008, Burton defeated McGoff by less than 7 points. In 2010, McGoff and several other Republicans ran in the primary against Burton, who wound up winning with less than 30 percent of the vote.

“As I’ve traveled around the district these last couple months, people keep saying to me, ‘You’ve got to do it again,’” McGoff told Roll Call in a phone interview. “Unfortunately, last cycle, we got a seven-way free-for-all and he just snuck right through.”

Redistricting resulted in substantial changes to the district, and McGoff argues that as a result, 2010 will be his best chance yet to take down Burton.

First off, more of the areas that McGoff represented as Marion County coroner are now in the district. But most importantly, the other 2010 GOP challengers will no longer live in the 5th district as of 2012.

“The demographics of the new district are much more favorable than the old one,” McGoff said.