If U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan is going to win a fifth term in Congress, he’s going to have to beat his biggest Democratic opponent yet — physically speaking, anway.
Former NFL offensive lineman Henry Lawrence, 62, has filed papers with the Federal Election Commission declaring his intention to run against Buchanan, a Longboat Key Republican first elected in 2006.
“I know its going to be a task,” Lawrence said about taking on a seasoned incumbent like Buchanan. “But my whole life has been a climb.”
Lawrence, a Democrat from Palmetto who has never run for office before, is seeking to represent the 16th Congressional District, which includes all of Sarasota and most of Manatee County.
He said he is running because Congress needs change and people who can work together.
Lawrence is best known for playing 13 years for the Oakland Raiders as an All-Pro right tackle, nicknamed “Killer.” Since his playing days ended in 1986, he has had a varied career. He is the vice president of a software company, an R&B singer and a motivational speaker.
Manatee Democratic Party chairwoman Pat Benson said Lawrence has deep ties in the region and will have a lot of support throughout the area — not just from Democrats.
“He cares about people in this community,” Benson said.
Buchanan’s campaign declined to comment Friday about Lawrence’s candidacy.
Lawrence is the first Democratic challenger to officially file to take on Buchanan. Bradenton Democrat Mitch Mallett, a former vice chair man of the county party, also has announced that he wants to take on Buchanan, but has not filed a statement of candidacy with the FEC. He also has not reported raising any money for his campaign since declaring in October.
Besides Buchanan and Lawrence, Venice independent Joe Venuti is the only other official candidate in the 16th District, according to the FEC.
The general election is set for Nov. 4. The winner of the seat gets a two-year term at $174,000 a year.
Because Buchanan, 62, is an incumbent, he is considered a big favorite to win re-election by national political analysts.
But Buchanan is coming off a 2012 campaign in which he won just over 53 percent of the vote to defeat Sarasota Democrat Keith Fitzgerald. It was Buchanan’s narrowest margin of victory since his first campaign in 2006 when he won by just 369 votes over Democrat Christine Jennings.
Jeremy Wallace can be reached at 361-4966 or jeremy.wallace @heraldtribune.com.
