BATON ROUGE — Two Republicans announced Thursday that they would enter the race to replace U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow after her decision to challenge U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy this year.

Sammy Wyatt said he would end his own challenge to Cassidy and instead seek Letlow's seat. Also entering the race was Misti Cordell, who chairs the Louisiana Board of Regents.

Letlow announced her Senate bid this week. As of Thursday afternoon, five people had said they would run for the 5th District seat that covers parts of the Baton Rouge metro area, portions of Monroe, and rural areas near them.

Wyatt, a Navy veteran and former law enforcement officer with more than two decades of experience, announced his campaign by pledging "to directly support President Donald J. Trump and fight for Louisiana families by advancing the America First agenda in Congress."

"Louisiana deserves a representative who will stand up to the radical left, protect our border, defend our energy industry and put American workers first," Wyatt said in a statement. 

Cordell said "radical voices" were pushing policies that undermine "our values, our economy, and our families." She owns COR Consulting, which works with independent physicians. 

"Our district feeds America and fuels Louisiana's economy," Cordell said in a statement. "Our farms, our infrastructure, and our working families — whether in Baton Rouge neighborhoods or rural Northeast Louisiana — need a strong voice."

Wyatt joins the race against State Sen. Rick Edmonds, Army veteran and former Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office employee Ray Smith and Livingston Parish's Larry Davis.