Former U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, who represented the East Bay in Congress for over two decades, announced plans to run for mayor of Oakland in a special election.

Time and time again, Oaklanders have faced our toughest obstacles by uniting to meet our challenges,” Lee said in a statement. “At this critical moment, we must not be a city

The Bay Area politician, known for her antiwar position and breaking barriers in Congress, just left the House after more than two decades.