Texas Democrat John W. Duncan is doing his part to help flip the U.S. Congress in the midterm elections and ensure affordable health care for all. The gay HIV advocate has formally launched his campaign for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

As the Washington Blade reports, Duncan currently works as a compliance officer at Prism Health North Texas, the largest nonprofit AIDS organization in the area. In the election, he’ll face Republican incumbent Joe Barton, who has held the seat for 32 years and who recently garnered national publicity when he told constituents to “shut up” at a town hall meeting.

According to Duncan’s campaign website, DuncanforCongress.com, he is married to Tim, a Christian minister, and the couple has two dogs.

“For the past decade, I have been advocating for the rights of the most vulnerable,” Duncan states on the website. “I have been a vocal proponent of marriage equality and reproductive rights, and I have fought to eliminate the racial and economic injustices so rampant in our world. As a lifelong Christian, my faith has influenced the way I understand immigration reform and refugees.”

In listing his priorities, Duncan states: “I believe that everyone has the right to affordable and quality health care.… I believe that every child has the right to a free and high-quality public school education. I believe that we should invest in job training programs and infrastructure improvements in rural areas to create good-paying jobs.”