When Boise businessman Jerry Sturgill threw his hat into the ring as the Democratic candidate running against GOP U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo last month, he just quietly filed; today, Sturgill sent out a news release formally announcing his candidacy. “I will bring a new approach to the Senate,” he wrote. “My leadership experiences in business, our community and my church have taught me that being a leader means bringing people together to solve problems.”

Sturgill is a managing director of Headwaters MB, a Denver-based financial firm, and holds both law and bachelor’s degrees from Brigham Young University. He’s a fifth-generation Idahoan who was raised in Twin Falls. Sturgill, 63, is unopposed in the Democratic primary, as is Crapo in the Republican primary. Two Constitution Party hopefuls are facing off in the primary for a chance at the race, Ray Writz and “Pro-Life,” formerly known as Marvin Richardson.

“This is just kind of a digital kickoff,” said Idaho Democratic Party spokesman Dean Ferguson. “People have been wondering where the heck he is. In fact he had just filed, he didn’t do any formal announcement, so this is a way for him to let all those people out there who are wondering where he is and what he’s been doing know that he’s been working. He’s actually spent a good deal of time doing that campaign-building building work that he needs to do; he’s still going to be focused on that through the primary. You’ll see a lot more of him out and about after the primary.”

This is Sturgill’s first run for office.