WASHINGTON, March 29 (UPI) -- U.S. Rep. Denise Majette, who was first elected to the House in 2002, said Monday she will run for retiring Democrat Zell Miller's Senate seat.
Majette won the Atlanta-area seat just two years ago, after she defeated incumbent Rep. Cynthia McKinney, D-Ga., in a bitter primary. McKinney has said she would attempt to reclaim the seat in 2004. Both are black Democrats.
The race has, thus far, proved problematic for Georgia Democrats, who have had a difficult time convincing any of the party's first-tier candidates to make the race.
On the Republican side, the front runner is Rep. Johnny Isakson, who also represents an Atlanta-area district in the House. Fighting it out for second place are U.S. Rep. Mac Collins, whose seat is in a more rural part of the state and Herman Cain, the former president of the Godfather's Pizza chain.
Majette says will need to raise $5 million to $10 million to compete in the Democrat's July 20 primary against state Sens. Mary Squires and Nadine Thomas.
