Rep. Donna Edwards announces Md. Senate bid

Rep. Donna Edwards made it official on Tuesday, announcing in a video that she would seek the seat of retiring Maryland Sen. Barbara Mikulski.

Edwards' entry into the race sets up a high-profile Democratic primary between her and Rep. Chris Van Hollen, who announced he would run last week. Van Hollen has already picked up the endorsement of Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada and opens the campaign with a war chest of around  $1.7 million.

A number of other prominent Maryland Democrats are also said to be considering a run, including Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, former lieutenant governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, former NAACP president Benjamin Todd Jealous and other members of the state's House delegation.

In the video announcing her campaign, Edwards said: "When I step into Barbara Mikulski's shoes as your next senator, you'll always know where I stand with you."

Edwards cited her work on boosting investments to historically black colleges and universities, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and "protecting women's reproductive rights from Tea Party attacks" in her opening campaign pitch.

Edwards was first elected to the House in June 2008. Groups such as EMILY's List and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee have urged her to run.