Following announcements on Wednesday that Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA 9th District) will be campaigning for a seat in the U.S. Senate later this year, State Rep. Kevin Tanner (R-Dawsonville) says he is weighing a run for Georgia’s 9th Congressional district seat.

The 9th District, which includes a large swath of northeast Georgia, including Dawson, Hall, Lumpkin and many other counties, has been held by Collins since 2013.

In a statement to the Dawson County News on Wednesday, Tanner said that he has received a tremendous amount of support from constituents and colleagues, who have urged him to consider running for the seat.

“Well it’s unexpected and not something I was ever really planning,” he said. “But I’m definitely considering it.”

After much prayer and time spent talking with people in the 9th District, Tanner says he will likely make a decision one way or another in the next few days.

Tanner, who has spent 27 years in public service and previously served as Dawson County manager prior to his four terms as Georgia’s District 9 Representative, represents an area that includes Lumpkin County and parts of Dawson and Forsyth counties.

Currently Tanner serves as Chairman of the House Transportation Committee and has been a member of the Appropriations, Education, Special Rules, Natural Resources and Intergovernmental Coordination committees.

Following Collins announcement Wednesday morning on Fox News that he would be campaigning for the seat currently occupied by U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, who was appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp when former U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson decided to retire at the end of 2019, State Sen. John Wilkinson, R-Toccoa, announced that he would run for the 9th District U.S. House seat.

Reporter Megan Reed contributed to this story.