By Keegan Gibson, Managing Editor

Rep. Bob Brady has drawn a Democratic primary challenger.

Jimmie Moore, an attorney and recently retired Philadelphia judge, announced this morning that he has filed with the FEC to challenge the incumbent Congressman and Chairman of the Democratic Party in Philadelphia.

In a pre-announcement statement this morning, Moore said that Washington was out of touch with local issues and compared his background to that of President Barack Obama.

“Over the coming weeks, I will continue to build my team and travel around the district talking to residents about the issues they find most pressing, and in July, I will formally announce my campaign for Congress to bring the change that our district desperately needs,” Moore said.

“Washington is out of touch with what’s happening to our families and communities. Special interests have more power than the people. Just like a young community organizer from Chicago, I have hope, a vision, and a belief in giving back and helping others.”

Moore will officially announce his candidacy in July. Speculation that he might run for Congress began immediately after he retired from the Philadelphia Municipal Court earlier this month.

“I’m not the typical politician, and I don’t have the establishment behind me,” says Moore in his announcement video.

Moore is a relative political unknown in Philly and faces an uphill climb against Brady, one of the most powerful figures in the city.

But that’s only if he still lives in Brady’s district next year.  A source close to Moore indicated that he plans to run regardless of the outcome of Congressional redistricting. His campaign literature, announcement video and website are notably short on details about the incumbent he faces.

Moore’s 34th Ward is on the western side of the city adjacent to Montgomery and Delaware counties. It is at the tail end of the current 1st district, and borders the 2nd, 6th and 7th districts, meaning it is nearly impossible to guess where it will end up next year.

But it would take some creative line-drawing – Brady is the 34th Ward Leader.

PoliticsPA is seeking comment from sources close to Brady.

The campaign released the following web video along with their announcement.

Here is Moore’s bio, from the campaign release:

Growing up in federal housing projects and living on welfare, Moore learned firsthand about the struggles of inner-city life. After becoming the first person in his family to graduate from college he earned a master’s degree in Urban Education and a subsequent J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law. Since then, Moore has lived in the Philadelphia area, raising his two children and practicing law for almost four decades.

For the past 12 years, Judge Jimmie Moore has served on Philadelphia’s Municipal Court. He founded and directed a community-based diploma program to give underemployed people and ex-offenders a chance to become legal secretaries and paralegals, turning tax-takers into taxpayers. Judge Moore is committed to developing “green-collar,” environmentally friendly, sustainable jobs for the residents of PA-01.