NASHVILLE (AP) - State Rep. Frank Niceley says he will give up his House seat to run for the state Senate this year.

Niceley tells The Knoxville News Sentinel (http://bit.ly/xen8ON ) that he expects to do better than in his previous Senate bid in 1992, when he narrowly lost to Democrat Danny Wallace. Niceley attributed that result to the Democratic ticket of Bill Clinton and Al Gore carrying the state in that year's presidential election.

Niceley said he doesn't expect any similar forces to work against him this year in a region and state that has become solidly Republican.

The Strawberry Plains Republican is the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and has served in the House for 12 years. He is seeking to succeed Republican Sen. Mike Faulk of Kingsport, who is retiring.