Pennsylvania state Sen. Jake Corman. Courtesy photo

Jake Corman, the ranking Republican in Pennsylvania's state Senate, will run for governor in next year's election, a political adviser said Wednesday.

For weeks, Corman has been expected to enter the race, and he had planned to make the formal announcement at a Thursday night event, a political adviser with direct knowledge of Corman's plans told The Associated Press.

The political adviser spoke on condition of anonymity because Corman has not publicly confirmed he is running.

However, the Thursday night event — billed as a "special announcement" in Corman's hometown of Bellefonte — was canceled after Corman tested positive Wednesday for COVID-19.

He is fully vaccinated and will quarantine at home, the Senate Republican communications office said in a brief statement. Corman's symptoms are mild, it said, but did not elaborate.

Corman will enter a wide-open race for the GOP nomination, swelling an already big field of Republicans to potentially succeed outgoing Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat. On the Democratic side, two-term state Attorney General Josh Shapiro is the presumed nominee.

Corman, 57, who represents a swath of central Pennsylvania surrounding Penn State's main campus, is the Senate's president pro tempore and has served in the chamber since 1999 after taking over the seat his father held.

Corman has been meeting with donors and hiring campaign staff and had said he would discuss his political plans after last week's election.

Copyright 2021 AP. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.