CLEVELAND, Ohio - Ohio Supreme Court Justice Bill O'Neill said Friday he will resign his seat in late January.

O'Neill, the only Democrat on the high court, is stepping down to continue his campaign for governor. He announced his candidacy in October, but said he would suspend his campaign when ex-Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray entered the race.

Since Cordray's announcement on Tuesday, O'Neill has had a change of heart. O'Neill told cleveland.com Friday his last day on the court will be Jan. 26.

O'Neill said he discussed the date with Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor and the rest of the panel.

O'Neill is a colorful character in Democratic politics around the state. He won his seat in 2012 without fundraising, surprising many.

He's also known to make controversial remarks, such as criticizing the Cleveland Browns for kneeling while protesting during the national anthem and boasting about his sexual escapades on his Facebook page.

After announcing his candidacy in October, Republicans including Auditor Dave Yost and state Rep. Niraj Antani called for O'Neill to resign, saying he was violating judicial ethics by engaging in partisan politics.

Calls for him to step down amplified after his posts about what he said were his sexual exploits, which received widespread condemnation. He later apologized.

Antani said Friday that O'Neill staying on the court until January was still unacceptable. He wants House members to vote on his resolution to remove O'Neill immediately.

Cordray, who's remained mum on O'Neill since his announcement, tweeted Friday that O'Neill did not belong in the race.

"Bill O'Neill is a loose cannon who callously disrespects women, embarrassing our party and our state," Cordray said. "There's no place for that in this race."

My vision is focused on the kitchen table issues that Ohioans and their families care about. Bill O’Neill is a loose cannon who callously disrespects women, embarrassing our party and our state. There’s no place for that in this race. #CordrayforOhio — Rich Cordray (@RichCordray) December 8, 2017

O'Neill's exit grants Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, the right to appoint a new justice. Kasich will likely appoint a Republican, making the entire high court GOP-controlled.

The two Republicans already running for Supreme Court next year - state appeals court judges Craig Baldwin and Mary DeGenaro - told the Capitol Letter newsletter Friday that once O'Neill leaves, they each plan to lobby Kasich for the appointment to the open seat.

Cleveland.com politics reporter Jeremy Pelzer contributed to this story.