Stanley Reed announces run for U.S. Senate

The Republican field running for U.S. Senate is a little more crowded.

Roby Brock, a content partner with The City Wire, reports that former Arkansas Farm Bureau President Stanley Reed has confirmed he will enter the race for the GOP nomination to challenge incumbent U.S. Sen, Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark.

“I’m in the race,” Reed said in a late afternoon phone interview with Brock. “We’ll put on a full court press before the end of the year.” Reed added that he would make a formal announcement after first of the year.

Reed also said Stephens Media columnist and Talk Business contributor David Sanders would manage his campaign. Sanders will no longer provide work for the two media organizations.

Reed, 58, is a farmer in Marianna, Ark. He serves on the Simmons First National Corp. board of directors, and is a former member of the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees and Baptist Health System.

There are now 8 announced candidates for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate in 2010.  The other 7 candidates include: State Sen. Gilbert Baker, Curtis Coleman, Tom Cox, State Sen. Kim Hendren, Fred Ramey, Conrad Reynolds, and Buddy Rogers.

Brock offers this analysis of Reed’s announcement: “Reed will have an uphill battle to win the GOP nomination. He hails from Lee County, not exactly a bastion of Republican votes. He’ll have to compete for primary votes in central and northwest Arkansas where candidates already have some base of support. He’s also late to the game, but only a handful of GOP candidates have begun to put credible campaign organizations into motion.”

Link here for the full report and more analysis from Brock.