ALUM CREEK — Lincoln County Delegate Jeff Eldridge said he will announce his candidacy for the District 7 senate seat currently held by Dr. Ron Stollings of Boone County.

Eldridge said he planned to make the announcement at the Chuck Yeager Monument along Corridor G at Alum Creek today at 12:30 p.m. He said the public is invited to attend.

“I just feel like our philisophical views are different and I don’t feel he represents the people,” Eldridge said of Stollings. “I believe I’m better qualified than he is and I have more time for the people. I represent the people and even though my views may be different than those of the majority, but if the majority tells me to vote a certain way, that’s the way I’ll vote.”

Eldridge and Stollings are both Democrats and will meet in the primary election in May.

Eldridge informally announced his candidacy when he handed out flyers telling of his plan to run at the West Virginia Conservative Foundation’s pro-coal rally in Charleston last week, but the official announcement will come today.