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Rep. Sally Kern, R-Oklahoma City, whose anti-gay comments have drawn national publicity, might have an opponent for her House seat.

Ron Marlett, a Democrat, said today he plans to run for her seat.

Marlett, 59, made his announcement during a news conference by the Oklahoma Democratic Party at the state Capitol.

Marlett, a social worker at Community Pathways Unlimited, said he had thought about running for the House seat the past couple years, but Kern's comments helped him decide to seek the post now.

"I've just been concerned for some time about the damage done by extremes," Marlett said.

Marlett said he disagreed with Kern's views, "but I firmly believe that people have the right to express what they think. I do not believe people have the right to incite violence with their free speech. There are limits to it."

Kern, unopposed two years ago, said today it's "the political process."

"I have no reaction," she said. "I'm not surprised. It's the way the process works."

Kern last week said she will not apologize for calling homosexuality the biggest threat facing America during a speech she gave earlier this year.

Kern told those attending an Oklahoma City Republican club meeting that homosexuality is the "the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam."

Some of her most inflammatory comments totaling about three minutes have been placed on the Web site YouTube. Kern's speech lasted nearly 35 minutes; about 25 minutes was on the topic of homosexuality in the United States with Kern talking the rest of the time about bills she proposed filing for the upcoming legislative session.

The comments posted on YouTube caused outrage among gays and their supporters. Several groups have asked her to apologize. Two rallies have been held in Oklahoma City, including one last week at the Capitol in which speakers again called for her to apologize.