Rep. Bruce Darrough, D-Florissant, has decided he won’t seek re-election in the fall.

(Hat tip to Arch City Chronicle, who first noted the story yesterday.)

Darrough said on Monday that he had been thinking about withdrawing for a couple of weeks.

“When I looked at the whole thing of what I was doing, I just felt it was time for me to move on,” the three-term legislator said. “It’s kind of stressful job up here.”

He plans to continue working for Boeing for a few years and then retire.

Darrough said he is endorsing Bert Atkins, who will face Charles Head in the Democratic primary for the seat. (There is no Republican candidate.) Atkins was Darrough’s campaign treasurer and, like Darrough, is involved with the local Machinist union.

(When an incumbent withdraws from a race, filing is re-opened for a short window of time. Atkins filed today.)

Darrough is leaving when many Democrats are hopeful about the possibility of regaining a majority in the House. He said he shares that hope, but personally wasn’t up for another election bid.

“It’ll give me a chance to take a vacation for a change,” he said. “I haven’t had a vacation in six years.”