Jerry McNerney, a former eight-term congressman and current senior policy adviser at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, filed at the last minute Friday to run for the California Senate.

McNerney, a Democrat, will campaign for the Fifth Senate District, a northern San Joaquin Valley seat that includes Stockton, Lodi, Tracy and Manteca. McNerney represented much of the area during his 16 years in Congress before stepping down in January.