Paulette Jordan, former Plummer representative to the state legislature and the Idaho Democratic Party’s choice to run for Governor in 2018, announced her bid to dethrone Jim Risch from his U.S. Senate seat this November.

“I’m excited to announce my candidacy to represent Idaho in the U.S. Senate,” Jordan said in a statement. “Over the past several years, I’ve had the opportunity to listen to thousands of Idahoans throughout this great state. Above all, I’ve learned that our state needs new leadership. We need leaders who value people over politics.”

Jordan pulled no punches in her Friday announcement, setting her sights on Risch as she lambasted his behavior during the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, most notably when the two-term Senator and former Idaho Governor fell asleep during the nationally-televised procedings.

“We all watched as our current Senator, Jim Risch, embarrassed our state by falling asleep on the job during one of our nation’s most historic events,” Jordan’s statement read. “If Idahoans fell asleep at work, we would lose our jobs...Mr. Risch has spent 11 years in the Senate. We can’t afford to let him sleep away six more years.”

Jordan’s name adds to a growing list of candidates vying for Risch’s seat in November. Boise entrepreneur Nancy Harris, Shelley farmer and internet marketing specialist Travis Oler and Eagle’s Jim Vandermaas — a retired first responder — are all running for the Democratic ticket. Coeur d’Alene’s Ray Writz, who challenged for Senator Mike Crapo’s seat in 2016 with just over six percent of the vote, is running for Risch’s seat via the Constitution Party.

Jordan previously represented Plummer in the Idaho House of Representatives and served on the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Council. Her 2018 run was the first time in American history that a Native American represented a major party in a gubernatorial general election.

Risch announced his run for re-election in August.