NASHVILLE (AP) – Sen. Roy Herron won't seek re-election in 2012, he announced last week. Instead, he will focus on helping more young people in Tennessee attend college.

The Dresden Democrat said he will head the Ned McWherter Center for Rural Development, a non-profit organization that provides scholarships and educational opportunities for students.

"I'm excited about the possibilities of helping young people go to college," Herron said. "If Tennessee's economy is going to grow and people are going to get good-paying jobs, we're going to have to have more young people going to school beyond high school."

Herron, a 25-year lawamker who authored the Crime Victims Bill of Rights amendment to the state Constitution, won then-Speaker McWherter's seat representing Weakley and Carroll counties in the House of Representatives in 1986 when McWherter ran for governor.

Herron co-founded the rural development center in Dresden with the late governor in 2008. As governor, McWherter would often say "schools plus roads equals jobs," Herron said.

"Now the center can use Governor McWherter's wisdom and legacy to help enable our young people to continue their education beyond high school ... and go on to a post-secondary education," Herron said.

Nevertheless, he said he will miss his 24th Senate District, which includes Benton, Decatur, Henry, Henderson, Lake, Obion, Perry, Stewart and Weakley counties.

A newly redrawn district includes just four of the counties Herron currently represents.

"I've been so blessed, by so many people, for so many years," said the 58-year-old, who was the Democratic nominee in the 8th Congressional District in 2010.

Herron is the third Democratic lawmaker to announce he won't run for re-election in the fall. The others are Rep. Harry Tindell of Knoxville, and Sen. Eric Stewart of Belvidere, who is running for Congress.

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