State Representative Dwight Evans will challenge Congressman Chaka Fattah in April’s Democratic primary.

Chris Brennan of the Inquirer broke the news, writing that Evans will file his paperwork this evening.

Rep. Fattah is currently facing 29 criminal charges and already has three declared challengers but his seat was still seen as relatively safe.

That is because all of Fattah’s other opponents are white and relatively new to politics. Fattah is Pennsylvania’s only black Congressman and his district is heavily African-American, so it was thought the voters wouldn’t chose a white replacement they didn’t know. The entrance of Evans, however, a black lawmaker who has served in the State House since 1981 drastically changes things.

The former ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, Evans has also built up his political capital by aiding Tom Wolf and Jim Kenney with early endorsements.

“I hope at the appropriate time that they will be helpful for me when I make the case to them,” Evans told Brennan when asked about Wolf and Kenney. “They’ve both known me a long time.”

Evans has had some electoral setbacks in the past, though, including failed runs for Governor, Lt. Governor and Mayor twice. Yet unlike those contests, this would be for a legislative position.

Ultimately, Evans might have been swayed by Fattah’s atrocious fundraising. At the end of September, the Congressman reported just $2,607 cash on hand.

The 2nd district consists of West and North Philadelphia as well as Lower Merion Township in Montgomery County.