EAGLE RIVER, Wis. (AP) -- A former Democratic state representative and one-time tourism secretary is running for the state Senate.

Jim Holperin of Eagle River says he has news conferences planned for Thursday in eight northern cities to announce that he will seek the District 12 Senate seat that Roger Breske is leaving to become state railroad commissioner.

Breske, a Democrat, has held the seat since 1990. Democrats narrowly control the state Senate.

The 57-year-old Holperin served in the state Assembly from 1983 to 1994 before leaving to take a job with Trees for Tomorrow. Gov. Jim Doyle appointed Holperin as tourism secretary in 2003 and he held the job for four years.

Holperin is now business service director for the nonprofit North Central Wisconsin Workforce Development Board.