The pastor of Love Christian Center in Farrell formally announced Tuesday that he is running for Mercer County commissioner.

Republican Bruce A. Richael, 48, of Farrell, is seeking one of two nominations in the May 20 primary election. As well as serving as minister of the Farrell church, Richael is the founder of Bruce Richael Bible Ministries Inc., a nonprofit religious foundation.

"I've been involved in politics for a long time," Richael said. "The area needs a candidate people can trust. We need someone in office who will be a watchdog over the taxpayers' dollars."

Richael served on the eight-member task force that studied racism and bigotry after the Ku Klux Klan's visit to the county in 1998. Recommendations from that task force led to the creation of the Mercer County Anti-Discrimination Commission, on which Richael is serving his second term.

Richael was appointed to the federal Consumer Issue Advisory Board by U.S. Rep. Phil English, Erie, R-3rd District. While on the board in the late 1990s, he dealt with problems and concerns ranging from meats coming into the country, breast cancer and deregulation of public utilities.

Richael is involved in a host of other community and religious activities, according to his news release. They include: Farrell Community Recreation League, the "Save Our City" coalition -- formed to answer questions raised by the sale of Sharon Steel Corp., Southwest Gardens Economic Development Corp., the Reforging Farrell Steering Committee and chaired its "Plant a City" subcommittee, the 2000 Unity Day parade, Promise Keepers, Shenango Valley Ministerial Association and the Farrell-Wheatland Republican Committee, where he is serving his third term as city chairman.

Richael, a lifelong resident of Mercer County, is originally from Stoneboro. He graduated from West Middlesex High School in 1972.