Alabama's special election to fill a U.S. Senate seat has a new and unexpected candidate.

Michael Hansen, the openly gay executive director of Alabama environmental advocacy group Gasp, announced on social media that he is seeking the U.S. Senate seat currently occupied by Luther Strange and vacated in January by Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

"Let's not kid ourselves, this is a long shot ," Hansen wrote in the blog post announcing his candidacy. " I'm 35, gay, and a Democrat -- but it's one we have to take."

Hansen told AL.com Tuesday he is running as a Democrat, and said he plans to file the paperwork in person with the state Democratic Party Wednesday.

He said recent events involving both major parties show that new blood is needed in Alabama politics.

"It's pretty clear to me that it's not a Democrat or Republican problem, a liberal or conservative problem, but it's a problem of [electing] the same old politicians over and over again," Hansen said. "I think people are tired of holding their nose and they want someone to vote for rather than someone to vote against."

On his campaign crowdfunding web site, Hansen said he supports universal health care, as well as policies to streamline immigration, mitigate climate change, advance renewable energy, acknowledge and deal with systemic racism, and a federal law to "protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in employment, education, housing, public accommodations, and more."

Gasp, based in Birmingham, focuses on environmental health issues and reducing air pollution. It challenged air pollution permits issued to the Walter Coke and ABC Coke plants in north Birmingham on the grounds that the permits didn't adequately protect residents of neighborhoods that are now part of an EPA Superfund site.

Hansen believes that his work in the environmental field will be an asset, though it has put him at odds with powerful business interests in the state.

"Conservatives care about the environment too," Hansen said. "They want their kids to have clean water to drink, clean air to breathe, safe playgrounds, great places to go hiking and swimming, beaches to enjoy and all of that."

Hansen said that although he is open about his sexuality, he does not plan to make it a major issue in his campaign.

"I'm not running as a gay man, I'm just not going to hide it," he said. "I want to make sure people know that I'm not hiding who I am, I'm not ashamed."

Under a proclamation by Gov. Kay Ivey, the special election primary vote will take place on Aug. 15. Runoffs, if necessary, will be held Sept. 26 and the general election will be on Dec. 12.

Doug Jones and Robert Kennedy, Jr. have also filed to run as Democrats. Strange, Mo Brooks, Roy Moore, Ed Henry, and Randy Brinson have filed to run as Republicans.