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.

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

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