Democrat Enters Primary Race for U.S. Senate Seat

The U.S. Senate race for Jim Webb's seat got a little more crowded with the announcement Courtney Lynch is entering the race.

The Democrat from Fairfax City announced Wednesday she plans to run for the seat, which means she'll face former Gov. Tim Kaine and Julien Modica, of Reston, in the primary race next year.

On her Twitter feed, LynchforVA: "Today’s the day. I am officially a candidate for U.S. Senate in Virginia. Let’s make history happen."

In addition to being a mother of three, Lynch, 36, is also a Marine Corps veteran and founding partner of Lead Star, a leadership consulting firm. She has said she plans to take a leave of absence to concentrate on her Senate run.

In a statement, she touted being new to politics, as she has never run for public office.

"Being a political insider is not high on the list of requirements to serve this nation," Lynch said in the statement. "In fact, fresh faces with valuable ideas are in demand."

Lynch holds a law degree from William & Mary and a bachelor's in political science from North Carolina State University.

George Allen, former U.S. senator and Virginia governor, faces opposition from five fellow Republican candidates in his bid to recapture the U.S. senate seat he lost to Webb six years ago.

This article has been corrected to show the primary race is next year.