HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) – A Pennsylvania state senator from the Philadelphia suburbs today announced his candidacy for the office of state’s attorney general.

At an event in Harrisburg, Republican state senator John Rafferty not only announced his candidacy for attorney general but also picked up the endorsement of the state lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police.

“Time and time again, John has stood strong with law enforcement and with the victims of crime,” FOP president Les Neri said of Rafferty.

Rafferty — a former deputy attorney general and since 2003 a state senator representing parts of Montgomery, Chester, and Berks counties — says he believes he has a “unique blend” of qualifications to head the office of attorney general: “My varied background as person who was in business, as a lawyer -– both a prosecutor and civil law -– and now as legislator, making law”

The race for the Republican nomination is wide open since Linda Kelly, appointed to serve the remainder of now-governor Tom Corbett’s term as attorney general, agreed not to run for the office next year.

Reported by KYW Harrisburg bureau chief Tony Romeo