Democrats will meet Thursday to name a nominee for a special election to fill the 3rd district seat vacated by ex-Rep. Mark Souder (R).

Tom Hayhurst, a former Fort Wayne councilman who won the party’s nomination for the full two-year term, is expected to become the nominee for the abridged lame-duck term, which will be on the same November ballot.

Hayhurst’s Republican opponent will be state Sen. Marlin Stutzman, who earlier this year unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate nomination.

After party leaders chose him for the nomination Saturday, Stutzman emphasized the strengths of his competition.

According to a report by WANE-TV, Stutzman said the race is “going to be difficult.”

“Anytime you’re running against somebody that’s like Dr. Hayhurst, he’s well-liked, very knowledgeable on the issues, he’s run before, did well, and he’s got a base of support out there already,” Stutzman said. “So we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

Souder resigned from Congress after disclosing an affair with a part-time aide.