BREAKING NEWS:

Huntington Beach Mayor Deborah Cook is planning a run against Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher in November.

Cook cited the faltering economy, global warming, rising costs of healthcare and the war in Iraq as some of the major problems facing the country. She called for bipartisan solutions to the issues.

While Cook no doubt faces an uphill battle in the strongly Republican district, the mayor trumpeted her commitment to public service, saying she believes “the best and most creative solutions” come from elected officials who are close to their constituents at the local level.

“I am passionate about getting this country out of this quagmire we seem to be in on so many fronts,” she said. “I just feel compelled to do whatever I can to make a difference.”

A Rohrabacher spokeswoman said the congressman’s campaign declined comment.