A Rochester attorney has thrown his hat into the ring for the District 18 Senate seat.

Brian Fitzwater says he saw an opportunity with departure of Randy Head who announced his retirement from the state senate in late July and became Chief Deputy Prosecutor for Pulaski County.

Fitzwater says local highway issues are among concerns he sees in the area.

He believes his background in the law, as well as politics, are a positive.

Fitzwater joins announced candidates including:

Rochester resident Amy Roe, former executive director of the Fulton County Chamber of Commerce and current president of Fulton County H.O.P.E.

Cass County Councilwoman Stacey Donato

Flora Town Councilman Jake Adams

and Grissom Air Reserve Base security officer and firefighter Jeffrey Staker

The Republican caucus is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., on September 9 at the Miami County 4-H Community Building in Peru.  The person chosen by the caucus will finish the remainder of Head’s term through 2020, serving Cass, Fulton and Miami counties and portions of Carroll, Kosciusko and Marshall counties.