Morrissey will not run as Democrat

(AP) A Virginia lawmaker who recently submitted his resignation says he will not seek the Democratic nomination for the House of Delegates seat in a special election.

Joseph D. Morrissey still could run as an independent or not at all. He said Saturday he will make that decision in the next few days.

The 57-year-old Morrissey entered an Alford plea earlier this month in connection with charges that he had an improper sexual relationship with a teenager. The Democrat announced Thursday he had submitted his resignation but planned to run for the same seat in a Jan. 13 special election.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch  reports Democratic Party members will nominate a candidate Monday, although a Morrissey associate has indicated he may ask a judge to block the party’s scheduled “firehouse primary.”