State Rep. Tom Graves, R-Ranger, is resigning from the Georgia House of Representatives today to run for Georgia's 9th District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The seat was held by Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Gainesville, who resigned Monday to focus full time on his campaign for Georgia's governor seat.
A special election to fill the 9th District Congressional seat will be held April 27.
Rep. Graves said he is resigning his House seat immediately because he will qualify for the upcoming special election between March 29 and 31, according to a news release.
Under state law, he would have automatically vacated his House seat by qualifying, but has decided to do so early so a special election can be held to replace him on April 27 as well.
"This will enable (Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue) to schedule both the election to fill my House seat and the 9th District Congressional seat on the same day and save taxpayer money," Rep. Graves said in a news release.
Other candidates for Georgia's 9th District seat include Republicans Clyde Daniel Benton, Chris Cates, Lee Hawkins, Jeremy Jones, Bert Loftman, Bill Stephens, Thomas Stephen Tarvin; Democrat Mike Freeman; and independent Edward "Eugene" Moon.