ST. CLOUD — Another Democrat has entered the race to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann in Minnesota’s 6th District.

College professor Jim Read of Avon announced his candidacy Tuesday.

Read is a political science professor at College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University. He ran for a state House seat in 1992 and lost narrowly.

Read said the federal government shutdown inspired him to run. He blames the Tea Party faction in the U.S. House for the shutdown.

Former state Reps. Phil Krinkie and Tom Emmer, Anoka County Commissioner Rhonda Sivarajah and state Sen. John Pederson are among Republicans running for the seat.

On the Democratic side, Circle Pines activist Judy Adams said she’s running, and Sartell Mayor Joe Perske said he’s likely to run.