State Rep. Roger Roth, R-Appleton, released a fundraising appeal Friday morning announcing his intentions to run for Congress in the 2010 election.

In the 2010 election Roth will be vying for the GOP nomination to run against Rep. Steve Kagen in Wisconsin’s eighth congressional district, which includes much of the northeastern portion of the state, including Green Bay.

Jake Rubin, spokesperson for Kagen, responded to Roth’s entrance into the race by saying they “have no campaign to answer questions currently, as it’s still very early in the race.”

Roth announced his candidacy in a letter entitled “Roger Roth for Congress.” In the letter, he said the American political and economic system is under attack from within.

“This attack comes from the liberal elite who believe that spending and wasting massive amounts of money while going ever deeper in debt is the answer to every problem,” Roth said in the letter.

Roth’s letter protested the Democratic Party and its actions that are “taking us down the road to ruin.” Roth also made the point of prioritizing the nearly 10 percent unemployment rate, criticizing the stimulus package and intending to reduce taxes.

The letter speaks against the current state of Congress as well, saying Congress at one time worked for the people but now seems to care more about special interest groups than the people they were elected to serve.

Roth said he believes the government needs to spend less, lower taxes and create jobs. He goes on to say the government does not need to increase taxes or spending.

Roth is currently serving his second term in the Assembly. He is also a member of the Wisconsin National Guard and recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq.

Among the crowded ranks of Republicans aiming for the GOP nomination is former state Rep. Terri McCormick, whose former position was filled by Roth.

University of Wisconsin political science professor Charles Franklin said the president’s political party usually loses seats in Congress, making this a good year for Republican candidates.

“Kagen’s seat has been hard for Democrats to keep, so he can’t take anything for granted,” Franklin said. “It will definitely be a difficult race.”