BALTIMORE — (WMAL)  A Republican has entered the field in the race to replace outgoing Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski. Richard Douglas announced Monday he’ll be seeking the Republican nomination in a race that already features prominent Democrats in Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Congresswoman Donna Edwards, and possibly congressman Elijah Cummings, who has hired a veteran Senate campaign advisor but has yet to make an announcement.

“Nothing’s easy if it’s worth doing, and certainly it’s no picnic winning in Maryland if you’re a Republican,” Douglas told WMAL. “I’ve been in Maryland over 32 years. I’m a veteran. I’ve served in Iraq. And I’m a lawyer, been a lawyer in this state for over 20 years, done a lot of international trade work in Russia and Mexico.”

He was also an appointee in the George W. Bush administration, serving in the Defense Department.

“My three priorities are jobs, more jobs, and even more jobs,” Douglas said. “I think the Port of Baltimore is just as capable as Galveston or Charleston or Savannah. Our interstates and railroads in Maryland are just as good. What we need in Maryland is to change the people.”

Douglas said his experience as a lawyer in international trade gives him “the experience of being out in the trenches.”

“I’ve seen what it’s like, for example in foreign trade, to have to deal with the United States code and some of the things Congress does and the impact these things have on US exporters and how they disadvantage US exporters in world markets,” Douglas said. “We need that level playing field, but oftentimes that level playing field is skewed by our own Congress.”

He’s also critical of his competition on the Democratic side.

“They’re not working for Maryland. They’re working for their party. They’re working for themselves, and I think we’ll be able to show that clearly.”

Copyright 2015 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (PHOTO: Richard Douglas Twitter)