Amarillo City Councilwoman Elaine Hays is officially in the race to replace U.S. Representative Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon).

After weeks of teasing a possible bid, Hays made her intentions clear on Wednesday, announcing that she would be joining the Republican primary race to replace Thornberry. The announcement makes Hays one of the newest candidates in what is an already growing field, with multiple candidates hoping to replace Thornberry after 25 years of service.

“This is a critical time in Washington, and I will stand strong as a member of Congress who will fight for life, liberty, balanced budgets, term limits, and border security,” Hays said in a statement. “We cannot sit quietly and hope for the best, so we must act to defend our conservative values against plans to eliminate fossil fuels, promote socialism, and do away with private health insurance.”

Hays has served on the Amarillo City Council since 2017 and previously ran unsuccessfully for the District 13 seat in 2014. In that race, Hays received just under 19 percent in a three-way primary race, which also included the incumbent Thornberry and fellow challenger Pam Barlow. Barlow has announced that she will not be running for the seat in 2020.

With her entry into the race, Hays joins Vance Snider, Josh Winegarner, Monique Worthy, and Kevin McInturff in the Republican primary. Jason Brinkley and Richard Herman are also exploring potential Republican bids for the seat.

Candidates can declare for the seat through November 9.