A Minnesota judge has denied Sen. Larry Craig’s (R-Wide Stance) request to withdraw his guilty plea in connection with his bust for soliciting gay sex from an officer during a police sting operation in an airport bathroom:

“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.

…”It is not a manifest injustice to force the defendant to be bound by his plea bargain and the waivers and admissions which he made in conjunction with the execution of that bargain,” Porter wrote.

Craig had indicated that he was going to resign from the U.S. Senate effective September 30th, but then decided to wait until the judge had ruled on the motion. And, it looks like his GOP colleagues are going to be waiting awhile longer before Craig makes a move.

As we’ve noted before at ASZ, that’s quite fine with us. We believe that Senator Craig should indeed continue to serve in the (largely ceremonial) role of a fetid, rotting weasel carcass draped around the collective neck of a sanctimonious, family-values-spouting GOP. And in the spirit of bi-partisanship and comity, we additionally suggest that Craig also dig his heels in, and continue to pursue his re-election bid in Idaho during the 2008 election season.

Finally, we propose that Harry Reid introduce a “sense of the Senate” resolution to formally endorse ASZ’s position.

Update: AP is now reporting that Sen. Craig has announced he will serve out his term.

WASHINGTON - 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…

We at ASZ applaud Sen. Craig’s courageous wide stance.