(AP) -- AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Former Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick has filed paperwork to seek a 21st term.
Craddick filed Monday for the Republican primary in District 82. His area includes Midland, Crane, Dawson, Martin and Upton counties in the Permian Basin region of West Texas.
The 66-year-old Craddick began serving in the state House of Representatives at age 25 in 1969. In January, he was replaced as speaker by Republican Joe Straus of San Antonio after six years in the powerful post.
Craddick serves on the House Committee on State Affairs and the House Committee on Energy Resources.
He has no challenger in the GOP's March 2 primary. The deadline to file is Jan. 4.
No Democrat has filed to run in the primary.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
(Copyright ©2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
