Former Eupora mayor Henry Ross officially joined the race for Mississippi’s First Congressional District seat with a multi-city tour of the district on Tuesday that included a stop in Corinth.

Ross was greeted by a large crowd of supporters as he declared his candidacy for the seat currently held by Democrat Travis Childers of Booneville in a speech in front of the historic Corinth Depot.

He joins a primary race that already includes State Senator Alan Nunnelee. Fox News analyst Angela McGlowan is also expected to seek the nomination and has scheduled an event next Tuesday at noon at the Alcorn County Courthouse.

Ross focused on his campaign themes of faith, family and freedom during his remarks in Corinth. He said he’s running for Congress because he believes the country is headed down the wrong path and feels a responsibility to step up and try to turn things around.

“I want to go and fight for faith, family and freedom. We need a conservative fighter, not just someone who makes a conservative vote,” he said.

While serving as senior counsel in the U.S. Justice Department during President George W. Bush’s administration, Ross said he began to feel there were major problems with what was happening in Washington. When he returned home to Eupora he felt called to run and try to make a difference.

“I have a passion for the country and I’ve known for a long time that things have been going wrong in our country,” he said.

He pledged to fight for smaller government, more freedom for individuals and businesses and a return to faith and traditional family values.

Candidates have until March 1 to qualify for the June 1 primary election. The winner of the primary will face Childers who has held the First Congressional District seat in the U.S. Congress since being elected in a 2008 special election to fill the unexpired term of Roger Wicker who was appointed to the U.S. Senate by Governor Haley Barbour.

Childers was then elected to his first full term in the House in the November 2008 general election.

He currently serves on the House Financial Services Committee.

Childers is the former chancery clerk of Prentiss County ad also owned Travis Childers Realty and Associates. He and his wife, Tami, also own the Landmark Community personal care home and the Landmark Nursing Center in Booneville.