Florida state Sen. Geraldine Thompson is running for Congress.

The longtime state lawmaker from Orlando announced Monday morning she is running for the District 10 seat currently occupied by Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Webster.

Thompson said one of the reasons she is running is to make education accessible to more people.

"Students leave college now crippled with just unbelievable debt, so we want to make community college free," Thompson said.

Thompson spent six years in the Florida House before she was elected to the state Senate in 2012.

The Orlando Democrat will run against former Orlando police Chief Val Demings in the Democratic primary. Demings announced her campaign in August.

Florida's 10th Congressional District currently includes includes parts of Orange, Lake and Polk counties, but the district could see a drastic change in its boundaries and voter makeup once Florida's district map is redrawn. The new District 10 could give Democrats a big edge against the Republican incumbent Webster, who is currently campaigning to replace outgoing U.S. House Speaker John Boehner.

Thompson currently represents Florida's 12th Senate District, which covers a portion of west Orange County, including downtown Orlando, Apopka, Ocoee and Winter Garden.