A Minnesota judge rejected Sen. Larry Craig’s request to overturn his guilty plea.

“Because the defendant’s plea was accurate, voluntary and intelligent, and because the conviction is supported by the evidence … the defendant’s motion to withdraw his guilty plea is denied,” Hennepin County Judge Charles Porter wrote.

Craig, a Republican, can appeal Porter’s ruling. But it wasn’t immediately clear if he would. Telephone calls and e-mails seeking comment from Craig spokesmen Sid Smith in Boise and Dan Whiting in Washington, D.C. weren’t immediately returned.

If Craig is to maintain any type of dignity now he will do what he said he would do in the first place and immediately resign from office.

This constant weighing of options when there are none (and he plainly stated he would leave on Sept. 30) is dishonest to the voters and humiliating to him.

Update: Here is Larry Craig’s reaction to the decision by the judge:

Idaho Sen. Larry Craig defiantly vowed to serve out his term in office on Thursday despite losing a court attempt to rescind his guilty plea in a men’s room sex sting.
“I have seen that it is possible for me to work here effectively,” Craig said in a written statement certain to disappoint fellow Republicans who have long urged him to step down.

Craig had earlier announced he would resign his seat by Sept. 30, but had wavered when he went to court in hopes of withdrawing his plea….

…In his statement, Craig said he will not run for a new term next year.

But in the meantime, he said: “I will continue my effort to clear my name in the Senate Ethics Committee—something that is not possible if I am not serving in the Senate.”