BILLINGS (AP) -- Yellowstone County Commissioner Bill Kennedy announced Thursday he intends to seek the Democratic nomination for Montana's sole U.S. House seat in the 2008 election.

The Democrat from Billings, a former teacher, has been a county commissioner since 1993. He ran for secretary of state in 2004, losing by 2 percentage points to Bozeman Republican Brad Johnson.

''We need to work together to make health care more affordable, to make our schools the best in the country and to make sure we live up to the promises made to our veterans and seniors,'' Kennedy said in a statement. ''I want to take my experience here in Montana to Congress to do what's best for folks here at home.''

Kennedy faces a June 2008 party primary. Four-term Republican incumbent Rep. Denny Rehberg has not yet announced if he will seek re-election, his office said Thursday.

Born and raised in Billings, Kennedy is married with two daughters. He holds a bachelor's degree in secondary education from Montana State University in Bozeman and a master's degree in personnel and guidance from Eastern Montana College, now MSU-Billings.

He worked as an elementary and middle school teacher, first in Colstrip and then with Billings Catholic Schools. He later became director of the Billings School District Even Start Literacy Program. He also served as parish administrator for St. Thomas Church.

Kennedy was appointed by Gov. Brian Schweitzer as chairman of the Montana Board of Transportation in 2005, and is a member of the Rotary Club, Council on Aging, Home Builders Association and other civic groups.

Rehberg won each of his last three races by at least 20 percentage points, after entering office in 2000 with a narrow victory over former Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Nancy Keenan. He lost a 1996 U.S. Senate bid to current officeholder Democrat Max Baucus.