State Sen. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, announced today he will run for Congress in a district now represented by U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Okeechobee. The move follows Rooney's decision last week not to seek re-election.

"I'm running because Washington is broken; it needs to serve the people it was intended to serve, Floridians; rather than special interests in DC," said Steube. "My entire adult life has been about service, I enlisted in the Infantry after September 11 because I wanted to serve my country in the war on terror, after service in the military I served the state of Florida in the Florida House for 6 years, and the Florida Senate for the last 2 years. As a pro-life, pro 2nd Amendment, anti-illegal immigration fighter for our constitutional rights I will proudly support Trump and his agenda in Washington and I'm proud to have the backing of Florida's law enforcement because they know they'll have my support."

Steube is best known statewide as a fierce defender of gun rights and staunch conservative. The former state House member, he was first elected to the Senate in November 2016.