RALEIGH, (SGRToday.com) - He used to advocate for cities and towns and now Ellis Hankins says he wants to advocate for Wake County residents in the North Carolina Senate.

Hankins announced this week that he will seek the Democratic Party's nomination for the Senate seat now held by Democrat Josh Stein. Stein is thought to be seeking the party's nomination for Attorney General when Roy Cooper officially announces his run for governor.

In his statement, Hankins said Republicans in the Senate "have shown little or no interest in improving public education."

Hankins' wife is a lobbyist for the N.C. School Boards Association.