Five Republicans have filed to run for the unexpectedly open-seat race for GOP Rep. Steve Stockman’s 36th District, according to Texas Republican Party spokesman Spencer Yeldell.

In Texas, the state parties must approve the applications of candidates for public office. After one term back in the House, Stockman shocked Texas Republicans by filing paperwork Monday to challenge Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

The filing deadline passed on Monday, so Stockman’s decision leaves a last-minute, open-seat race for his district northeast of Houston.

The five GOP candidates who filed for the 26th District race are:

• John Amdur
• Phil Fitzgerald
• Chuck Meyer. In 2012, Meyer unsuccessfully ran against Stockman in the 12-person open primary and earned about 4 percent of the vote. He has, as of this writing, 27 followers on Facebook. From that account, he has attacked Stockman from the right and advocated for the impeachment of President Barack Obama.
• Dave Norman. He unsuccessfully ran for state Senate in 2012.
• Doug Centilli. According to LegiStorm, that’s the same name of Texas GOP Rep. Kevin Brady’s chief of staff. A call to the that staffer’s cellphone on Monday evening to confirm if he is the same person was not immediately returned. A former Capitol Hill staffer for a Texas GOP member close to Centilli confirmed it was the same person.

Texas’ 36th is rated Safe Republican by Rothenberg Political Report/Roll Call. The primary is on March 4. A runoff, if necessary, will take place on May 27.