Pennsylvania Sen. John Pippy, R-Moon, formally resigned his seat in the Senate late Saturday after casting his budget vote. 

Pippy announced in January that he would not seek re-election for the state legislature. He has served in the state Senate since 2003. 

Pippy resigned at midnight, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  He called his work as a state senator the most "meaningful experience I have had in my professional career," according to the resignation letter obtained by the newspaper. 

He served in the state House for six years prior to being elected to the state Senate. 

Republican D. Raja, a business owner from Mt. Lebanon, is vying for Pippy's seat in the 37th district in November's general election. He may face an uncontested race—Democratic write-in candidate Greg Parks announced on Friday that he is exiting the race for unspecified personal reasons, reports the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

The Associated Press reports that Pippy is leaving his post in state Senate to take a job in the private sector, though he has not announced the details of his new position.