MIDLAND, Texas (AP) -- Democrat Bill Dingus resigned his Midland city council seat today as he seeks to run for the Legislature.
Dingus hopes his resignation will make possible an alternate route to challenge Republican Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick.
A federal judge last week ruled that Dingus is ineligible for the race because he didn't resign the seat before filing his candidacy for the Legislature.
Dingus said last week that he would ask the Democratic Party's executive committee to select him as the replacement nominee.
In a statement to announce the resignation, Dingus said he'll soon take legal steps to restore his eligibility to run for state representative.
Craddick has held the Midland seat since 1969. The 150-member chamber elects their leader to two-year terms when the convene every other January.
