Two days after securing the Republican nomination, third district congressional candidate Gregg Harper formally thanked his supporters.

The Pearl attorney held a news conference in Jackson Thursday morning.

Harper defeated former state Sen. Charlie Ross in a runoff Tuesday. He's back on the campaign trail now, getting ready for the general election.

Harper touted some of the issues he plans to tackle, if he wins the general election, including illegal immigration.

"We have to secure our borders," said Harper. "And we have to enforce those existing laws on immigration that we don't know whether they'll work or not, because we haven't done a good job of taking care of those. "

Harper will take on Democrat Joel Gill in the general election Nov. 4.