New York, Jul 13 (IANS): Indian-American physician Prasanth Reddy is seeking a Republican nomination from the third Congressional district of Kansas, currently represented by Democrat Sharice Davis.

The Chennai-born military officer and oncologist is the third candidate, after businesswoman Karen Crnkovich and former cop Jonathon Westbrook, to throw his hat in the ring for the 2024 Republican Primary.

“As an immigrant, I’ve lived the American dream, and I’ve spent my life trying to give back to the country that gave me everything,” Reddy, a political newcomer, said in a statement.

He said that American citizenship is the privilege of a lifetime, and has worked every day to make the most of it.

In his campaign statement, launched Wednesday, Reddy called for secure borders, support for police and parental voice in education.

“Right now, our country is at a breaking point, and there’s no time to sit on the sidelines... I’m stepping up now because it’s time to bring common sense back to this district," Reddy said.

A resident of Lenexa, Reddy is triple-board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology and hematology.

He practiced medicine and served in leadership positions for more than a decade in various clinical settings, including academia, private practice, and managed care.

He has served as Senior Vice President & Global head of Enterprise Oncology at Labcorp since 2021.

He signed up for the US Air Force Reserve, and is currently a Lieutenant Colonel.

Raised in Kansas, Reddy graduated from Kansas public schools, and earned his bachelor’s in microbiology and psychology from Kansas State University.

He earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas Medical Center, where he completed his internal medicine residency and clinical hematology and oncology fellowship.