Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners and a career physician, has officially joined the 2022 U.S. Senate race, writes Charles Thompson for the Harrisburg Patriot-News.

Arkoosh, who entered the political arena in 2009 during President Barack Obama’s push for health care reforms, is the latest entrant in the growing group of contenders hoping to replace U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey who decided not to seek a third 6-year term next year.

Read Dr. Valerie Arkoosh’s leadership bio on MONTCO Today

The race to succeed Toomey is one of the few that will determine Senate majority control for the second part of President Joe Biden’s term.

Arkoosh launched her bid Monday morning with a 2-minute biographical video on YouTube (below). In it, she echoed Biden’s early policy themes of investing in major infrastructure development, battling climate change, and rebuilding and improving the Affordable Care Act.

Her campaign has gotten an early lift from the fact that she is the first woman to enter the race at a time when there is a strong push to continue breaking gender barriers in Pennsylvania’s politics and from her strong track record as chair of the Montgomery County Commissioners since 2016.

Read more about Commissioner Arkoosh’s decision to enter next year’s US Senate race in the Harrisburg Patriot-News.