COEUR d'ALENE - Former Kootenai County Commissioner Rick Currie announced Thursday that he is running for state representative in Idaho House Seat 4B.

He will face incumbent 4th District Rep. Kathy Sims, R-Coeur d'Alene, in the May 20 primary election, and the winner of that race will face Democratic challenger Anne Ness in the general election in November.

"The people of this district would be better served by having a voice in the Legislature that speaks to the many important issues we face," Currie said in a press release. "My agenda will be the broad representation of this area and I will encourage communication from the public on issue."

Currie, 60, served three terms as county commissioner starting in 2002. He was defeated by Commissioner Jai Nelson in 2010. He is currently an elected committeeman in the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, and he has also filed to retain that seat which is up for re-election in the May 20 primary.

The father of five children has three grandchildren and is also a Vietnam veteran. He was born and raised in Coeur d'Alene, graduated from Coeur d'Alene High School in 1967 and graduated from North Idaho Junior College in 1971.

He has served on several boards in Kootenai County, including Panhandle Area Council, Kootenai County Emergency Medical Service, Jobs Plus and the Idaho State Building Code Advisory Board.

He is an active member of the Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce and is currently employed as the director of the Lake City Center, a job he intends to keep.