Vincent, a retired engineer, announced his bid for the 4th District Congressional District seat on Thursday, saying Palazzo hasn't done enough to curb federal spending and cut the national debt.

"The country is going downhill," Vincent said. "We're spending too much money and we're going into oblivion. Somebody's got to step up."

Vincent, who sits on the Lamar County Republican Executive Committee and founded the Pine Belt Republican Club three years ago. The second term congressman defeated longtime Democratic incumbent Gene Taylor in 2010.

In a statement, the congressman said he was meeting demands to rein in spending.

"The people of this district sent me to Washington to reverse the Obama administration's big-government, big spending policies," he said. "That's exactly what we've spent the last twelve months doing, and it's an honor to serve the people of South Mississippi."

Vincent disputes that, though, pointing to Palazzo's vote to raise the national debt limit and his votes in favor of spending bills.

Palazzo also has faced questions about whether he had adequately restructured his accounting firm to meet legal requirements, about using congressional staff to conduct personal business and about taking a trip to Israel paid for by a lobbying group.