Kansas City, Mo. ? Former Kansas City Mayor Emanuel Cleaver said Sunday that he would enter the race for Congress.

Cleaver first announced his plans to his congregation at St. James United Methodist Church, where he serves as pastor.

The former two-term mayor said he would seek to replace Democratic incumbent Rep. Karen McCarthy, who announced last month she would not seek a sixth term after she was accused of misusing government workers and campaign dollars for her own benefit.

“I appreciate the opportunity to run,” Cleaver said. “It does not mean I’m going to win. It means that I’m going to put everything I have into running to try to win. And if I should win, I intend to represent you and the people of the 5th District with dignity and civility.”

The congregation responded with a standing ovation.

After serving three terms on the Kansas City Council and two terms as the city’s first black mayor, Cleaver continued to be a community leader after leaving political office in 1999.

Democratic Party leaders including Gov. Bob Holden and Rep. William Lacy Clay had encouraged Cleaver to run. Cleaver told his congregation he decided to run after praying and talking to church leadership.

Later Sunday, several local officials and a St. Louis congressman, Rep. William Lacy Clay, appeared with Cleaver before a crowd of about 200 people. It’s a turbulent time to run for Congress, Cleaver said, noting the unemployment rate, the number of uninsured Americans and millions of job losses.

Cleaver also criticized President Bush’s tax cut as “ill-advised,” saying it squandered a $5.6 trillion surplus.

“And saddest of all there are more than 500 fresh and hallowed graves of young, brave Americans who gave their lives in a noble response to their nation’s call to arms,” he said. “That call unfortunately was issued on the basis of invalid or incompetent intelligence. …”

Cleaver paraphrased Franklin D. Roosevelt to conclude his announcement.

“Let me say as strongly as I can: The only thing we have to fear is not challenging those who promote the fear we have.”

His supporters hope Cleaver’s entry will boost Democratic candidates throughout the ticket by raising turnout among Kansas City’s black voters. And some party leaders wanted Cleaver in the race to keep the primary from becoming divisive and potentially damaging to the nominee.

Cleaver said there were early indications that the campaign would be “extremely nasty,” but he promised his congregation he would stay above the fray.

There are nine congressional districts in Missouri. Incumbents are running in all but the 5th District and the 3rd District in St. Louis, which is represented by Rep. Dick Gephardt. He decided not to seek re-election to run for president, but ended that campaign after a poor showing in Iowa’s caucuses.