The Democrat who ran against Ileana Ros-Lehtinen in Florida’s 27th Congressional District race two years ago and who many thought would run for the open seat next year has announced his endorsement.

Scott Fuhrman says he is backing state Rep. David Richardson.

In a statement released by the Richardson campaign, Fuhrman calls Richardson “the kind of Democratic standard-bearer we need in this race right now.”

“I know that we can count on him to fight for progressive and responsible solutions to the problems we face as a nation, as well as to stand up to the Trump administration’s harmful policies and alarming rhetoric,” said Fuhrman. “In Tallahassee, David has been on the right side of everything from equal rights to prison reform to gun safety to the environment. I’m excited to see him take a courageous stand for single-payer health care on day one. David gets thing done.”

Richardson, a Democrat who has represented House District 113 in the state Legislature since 2012, announced last month he would seek the congressional seat being left open by the retirement of Ros-Lehtinen.

“When Scott ran for this seat in 2016, he took on the daunting task of challenging a well-funded, long-entrenched incumbent,” Richardson said in response to Fuhrman’s endorsement. “Scott’s belief in my ability to continue carrying that flag means the world to me and I am honored to have his support.”

The district strongly leans Democratic and is considered by Democrats as one of the congressional seats that they could pick up in the 2018 midterm elections.

A number of other Democrats have indicated they intend to run for the seat, including another member of the state Legislature–Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez.

Rodriguez has also served in the Legislature since 2012, serving two terms in the House before winning his current Senate seat. He is a Cuban-American lawyer.

Other Democrats in the race are Miami Beach Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, University of Miami academic adviser Michael Hepburn and Mark Anthony Person.

In the race for the Republican nomination, speculation continues to focus on Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez Cantera who is weighing the possibility of entering the race. Those close to Lopez Cantera say he will either run for Ros-Lehtinen’s seat or for Miami-Dade mayor in three years.

“I know he has been having discussions with his family on what is best for them,” said Brian Swensen, a political consultant who advised Lopez Cantera on his bid for the U.S. Senate. “He has a desire to make lasting changes that streamline government and make it more efficient to help the people in Miami. I expect him to make a decision in the next 2-3 weeks on whether he will run for CD 27 or explore options to run as Mayor of Miami-Dade County in 2020.”

Other members of the GOP who have announced their intentions to seek their party’s nomination are Miami-Dade County commissioner Bruno Barreiro, former Miami-Dade school board member Raquel Regalado, and Maria Peiro, who unsuccessfully ran against Ros-Lehtinen in the primary two years ago.