Democrats now have a declared candidate — a military man, in fact — to run against seven-term Congressman Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), who was re-elected last year by the uncomfortably slim margin of 52%-46%, even though the seat wasn't a target of national Dems.

Former state Senator Gary Peters announced today that he will officially challenge Knollenberg, slamming him as "a rubber stamp for the Bush administration’s failed policies in Iraq and failed policies on the economy."

Peters is also a lieutenant commander and SEABEE combat specialist in the U.S. Navy reserve, having served in the 1991 Gulf War and also briefly overseas after 9/11. He was first elected to the state Senate in 1994, and in 2002 was the Democratic nominee for state attorney general, losing narrowly. His Web site is here.