Oklahoma Democratic state Sen. Al McAffrey announced his candidacy for the 5th District on Thursday, according to the Associated Press .  

“I’m running for Congress to bring some good old-fashioned Oklahoma common-sense to a place that desperately needs it,” he said in a statement provided to the AP and KGOU.  

McAffrey is running in the Oklahoma City-based district to replace Republican Rep. James Lankford, who is campaigning for the open Senate race to replace retiring GOP Sen. Tom Coburn.  

This House race would be a major lift for any Democrat. Mitt Romney carried the district by 18 points in 2012.