KENNEWICK - George Cicotte noticed that in 2010 the electorate sent to the U.S. House of Representatives 43 Republicans who were running for political office for the first time.

"Why not me?" he asked himself recently and threw his hat in the race for the 4th Congressional District seat Doc Hastings is giving up.

There may be a couple of answers to Cicotte's question. There is a field of seven candidates for the August 5 primary, and there are two big boys who are veteran campaigners.

Dan Newhouse of Mabton was a legislator, son of a legislator and state secretary of agriculture. Clint Didier of Connell has at least two campaigns under his belt. He hasn't won, but his name recognition as a Washington Redskin hero has brought him close.

Newhouse and Didier are both farmers. Cicotte is an attorney, and he hopes to square off with the Big 2 in public forums. He believes he can win those contests.

"I want to be in the same room with those guys," he said. "I have the best skill set and best mind set to represent this district in Washington, D.C.,"

It appears the first chance Cicotte will get for a debate will be May 26 at Tony Roma's in Kennewick. It will be in front of the Tri-Cities Republican Women.

One thing Cicotte is certain of is that he's the real conservative in the race. The Brigham Young University Law School was "founded to train statesman who defend the Constitution" and Cicotte took that goal to heart immediately upon enrolling.

"There is a strong feeling (on the campaign trail) that the constitution is under attack," he said.

On the issue of abortion, which seems to come up sooner or later, Cicotte said, "I have seven kids." He said his wife will likely home school "when" he wins the general election and moves to Washington, D.C.

Cicotte is a life-long Republican. He worked on the Reagan-Bush campaign as a 17-year-old.

"I couldn't vote yet," he said.

Cicotte's plan is to make the primary a Big 3 race and then overcome the Big 2. He was buoyed last weekend by a KONA (talk radio) poll that had him at 39.5 percent to 30.3 for Brad Peck of Tri-Cities, with Didier and Newhouse at 10.0 and 3.6.

"I may not have name recognition, but I am known in the community with the largest block of votes in the district," Cicotte said.

Cicotte is also encouraged by the $112,000 raised for the campaign by the end of March.

Cicotte, born in Pennsylvania, worked for a D.C. law firm a few years before launching his own practice in Tri-Cities, his wife's home town. Most of his work was with the House.

"(Speaker) John Boehner offered me a position on the committee on education in the work force," he said.

Work force issues are the majority of Cicotte's work in the district. He advises and speaks in front of business groups.

"The people who tend to be Republican know me," he said.