Democratic Resignation Opens Door For GOP Takeover

A socially conservative Democrat says he won't be running for reelection to the state Senate next year.

Eddie Lucio Jr. of Brownsville announced on Thursday that he won't seek reelection after 30 years in the Senate.
The 75-year-old senator had earlier said he planned to run again, and didn't explain why he'd changed his mind.

Lucio co-authored Senate Bill 8, the state's six week abortion ban, and also favored bills keeping boys from participating in girl's school sports.

But he opposed the GOP's recently drawn redistricting maps.