The latest Democrat to enter the race for Rep. Ed Royce's (R-Calif.) Orange County-area House seat is kicking off his bid with a $2 million loan to his own campaign.

Andy Thorburn, a businessman and former public school teacher, is hoping that the loan will provide an initial boost for his campaign ahead of a June 2018 primary, according to his campaign. His team noted that the $2 million gives him more resources than any other Democratic challenger currently facing a Republican incumbent.

Thorburn launched a digital ad on Tuesday to mark his official entrance into the field of Democrats vying for a chance to oust Royce, who has served in the House for nearly 25 years.

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In the ad, titled "Cell Doors," the Democratic businessman reflects on his experience spending 30 days in jail for his participation in a 1970 teachers' strike calling for better wages.

"You start to think about a lot of things when that cell door closes," Thorburn recalls in the video. "I knew they could take away our freedom. But they could never take away our determination to fight for working people."

Former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonWhat Senate Republicans have said about election-year Supreme Court vacancies Bipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death Trump carries on with rally, unaware of Ginsburg's death MORE beat Donald Trump in California's 39th congressional district by nearly 9 points, making Royce a prime target for Democrats in the 2018 midterms.

Democrats are hoping to capitalize on President Trump Donald John TrumpObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE's low approval ratings and early controversies to challenge potentially vulnerable GOP representatives.

Among the Democrats running to unseat Royce are Sam Jammal, a former Commerce Department appointee under President Barack Obama Barack Hussein ObamaObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Senate Republicans face tough decision on replacing Ginsburg Cruz: Trump should nominate a Supreme Court justice next week MORE; pediatrician Mai-Khanh Tran; former chemistry professor Phil Janowicz; and Gil Cisneros, a Navy veteran who won a $266 million lottery jackpot in 2010.

Cisneros has won the backing of VoteVets, a Democratic veterans advocacy group, while Tran has the support of EMILY's List, an influential pro-abortion rights group.