Democrat Kayyem Announces Bid For Mass. Governor

Juliette Kayyem, a former homeland security adviser at the state and national levels, has announced that she plans to run for governor of Massachusetts.

The Democrat said in a statement Wednesday she decided to run "to protect and strengthen our families and communities."

Kayyem is currently a lecturer in public policy at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. She also served as assistant secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Before joining President Obama's administration, Kayyem was an undersecretary for homeland security in Massachusetts. She has also been a columnist for The Boston Globe.

Four other Democrats have officially announced plans to run for governor next year. No Republicans have made an announcement.

Kayyem lives with her husband and three children in Cambridge.