WASHINGTON -- A veteran of the last two Democratic administrations is the newest entrant in the race against Rep. Leonard Lance.

Tom Malinowski, a former assistant secretary of state under President Barack Obama and a former senior director on the National Security Council under President Bill Clinton, announced his candidacy Monday for the Democratic nomination in the 7th Congressional District.

The district is one of only 23 Republican-held districts that were carried by Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016.

"I've stood up to dictators on behalf of America; I'll stand up to Donald Trump and Leonard Lance for the people of our state," said Malinowski, who currently lives in Rocky Hill.

"I've defended human rights, equality, and the rule of law," he said. "Now, those values are threatened by a president governing far outside of American norms along with a congressman who can't be counted on. I've always fought for what is right -- that's why we're going to win."

Tom Malinowski is seeking the Democratic nomination against Rep. Leonard Lance.

Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called Malinowski "an advocate to his very core, with a fierce sense of right and wrong, and a moral compass always pointed due north."

Lance is rated as a slight favorite to win re-election by the Cook Political Report, a Washington-based publication that tracks congressional races.

He has bucked his fellow House Republicans and President Donald Trump on several issues this year, most notably his no vote on the Affordable Care Act repeal legislation that the Congressional Budget Office said would increase the number of uninsured Americans by 23 million.

The other Democratic candidates in the race are Linda Weber, a bank executive from Berkeley Heights; Lisa Mandelblatt, a teacher in Westfield; Scott Salmon, a lawyer from Scotch Plains; and Goutam Jois, a lawyer from Summit.

Peter Jacob, the only New Jersey congressional candidate backed by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in 2016, is raising money for another run as well.

Lance is one of four Republicans in the state targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee next year.

Another former national security aide in the Obama administration, Andy Kim, is one of the Democrats seeking the nomination against Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-3rd Dist.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.