Larry DiChiara, who led the Alabama Department of Education’s takeover of Selma City Schools in 2014, has announced plans to run for Congress.

DiChiara will challenge incumbent Republican Mike Rogers in Alabama’s 3rd Congressional district, which includes eastern Montgomery, Alexander City, Auburn, Talladega and Tuskegee.

“After thoughtful consideration, much prayer and an outpouring of encouragement from my friends and family, I am excited to announce my candidacy for Congress,” DiChiara said in a press release last week. “For too long, Congress has led our country down a path of runaway deficits —jeopardizing our future by creating a public-finances equivalent to the subprime mortgage meltdown. Our financial crisis is real, and it’s here now.”

DiChiara led the Selma City Schools system from early 2014 until current Superintendent Angela Mangum was hired last spring.

“I understand what it takes to trim fat from a budget. I have done it in my business, and I have done it as a former school superintendent —now, I am ready to do it in Washington,” he said. “Our children and grandchildren deserve to be left with a legacy of the American dream.”

A graduate of Auburn University, DiChiara has devoted his life to education, serving as a teacher, principal, administrator, district superintendent and adjunct college professor. He currently owns and operates a small business aimed at helping educators and school districts provide a quality education for all students.

“My campaign is focused on harnessing the grassroots power of ordinary citizens who believe in defending our personal freedoms, protecting life, preserving traditional marriage, securing our borders, lowering taxes and guaranteeing our right to bear arms. Washington is broken,” DiChiara said. “As the chief administrative officer, appointed by the Alabama State Department of Education, I have been charged with transitioning failing school systems into successful districts. I plan to take my experience to Washington and transform a failing system into a successful one.”

Larry and his wife, Gina, are the parents of three boys, Nicholas, 23, Samuel, 20, and Anthony, 15, and reside in Auburn.