Richmond Delegate Jennifer L. McClellan is going to run for the 9th District Senate seat in a still-to-be-announced special election.

The five-term legislator announced Monday that she would seek to succeed A. Donald McEachin, who will be giving up the state Senate seat following his election last week to the U.S. House of Representatives. He will represent the 4th Congressional District in Washington.

Sen. McEachin, according to a spokesman, plans to resign his state Senate seat effective Jan. 3, the day he is to be sworn into the House.

Delegate McClellan is expected to be challenged for the Democratic Party nomination by freshman Henrico Delegate Lamont Bagby. The nomination contest essentially would decide the election in the district that includes heavily Democratic parts of Richmond, Henrico and Hanover counties and all of Charles City County.

Calling Sen. McEachin “an exemplary state senator and a strong progressive champion,” Delegate McClellan said that, if elected, she would be “a strong passionate voice for social justice and a champion for residents of the district.”

Moving up to the Senate would give “me an opportunity to build on my work in the House of Delegates,” Delegate McClellan said, where she has been an advocate for public education, safe neighborhoods and economic opportunity.

A graduate of the University of Richmond and its law school, Delegate McClellan has served in the House of Delegates since 2006 and currently is vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus.

She is assistant general counsel for Verizon Communications. — JEREMY M. LAZARUS