FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — As Republican names announce runs for new political offices, one name is considering a run for his old office.

Marlin Stutzman, 46, told WANE 15 Tuesday he is strongly considering entering the race for Indiana’s third Congressional district, a seat he held from 2010-2017.

The seat will be open in 2024 after Jim Banks announced a run for Indiana Senate. That Senate seat will be open in 2024 after Mike Braun announced a run for Indiana governor, which will be open due to term limits facing Gov. Eric Holcomb.

“When Congressman Banks decided to run for the Senate, our family sat down and talked about it,” Stutzman said. “It was such an honor for me to serve the third district for six years prior to Congressman Banks. We think this might be the right time to throw our hat in the ring.”

Stutzman cited the national debt as his top priority and said his business experience would be useful.

“The national debt has grown $20 trillion since I first started Congress in 2010,” he said. “Spending is just out of control. We’re going to have to have people that understand numbers.

“This is an opportunity for me to take the experience that I had previously [in the House], the experience that I’ve had in business over the last seven years, and go back to Washington, hopefully a little wiser.”

The only candidate to express public interest in the seat was District 17 State Senator Andy Zay, a fellow Republican.

Stutzman is expected to make his decision within the next several weeks.

Stutzman said his current official residence is in Howe, Indiana but that his family spends time in Middlebury, where his wife Christy served as a State Representative.

The pair was part of the ownership group that acquired Amish Acres and the Round Barn Theatre in Nappanee in 2020.

During his time in office, Stutzman was scrutinized for a trip to California that appeared to mix official and personal travel.