Wanted: Area candidate to seek 4th District post

Business and political leaders in the Fort Smith area were not happy with new Congressional district lines approved by the Arkansas Legislature in mid April. But they said they’d try to make the most of using the new lines to their advantage at the first opportunity.

That first opportunity arrived early when U.S. Rep. Mike Ross, D-Prescott, announced Monday he would not seek reelection.

The Fort Smith region is divided between Arkansas’ 3rd and 4th Congressional districts. Crawford County is split almost evenly down the middle with the western half in the 3rd District and the eastern half in the 4th. The city of Alma — about 5,000 people — is split down the middle, with 2 city precincts voting in the 3rd District and 2 precincts voting in the 4th District.

Franklin County is moved entirely out of the 3rd District and into the 4th District.

Lavaca and environs in the northeastern corner of Sebastian County are pulled into the 4th District. Roughly one-third of Sebastian County below Greenwood and below Fort Chaffee and Chaffee Crossing will be in the 4th District.

At the time the lines were drawn, it was assumed Ross, who represents the 4th District, and U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, a Republican from Rogers who represents the 3rd District, would hold the seats to at least 2014. But Ross’ announcement creates the first chance for a 4th District Congressman to emerge from areas formerly in the 3rd District.

“We’ll try to find one, but we’ll end up rallying around a candidate who we think has a shot at it,” said Lee Webb, the Sebastian County Democratic Party chairman, when asked about the open 4th District race in 2012.

Webb said Democratic chairman from adjacent counties may conduct “some form of brainstorming session” to see if a viable local candidate exists.

“But I’m not sure anyone is out there right now. And it’s too early to name names, because we all assumed he (Ross) was going to run,” Webb said.

State Rep. Tracy Pennartz, D-Fort Smith, believes the region may produce a competitive 4th District candidate, but isn’t sure who might surface or during which election cycle.

Fort Smith attorney Rex Terry, who serves as the Sebastian County Republican Party chairman, is not sure from where the GOP candidate will emerge. He is confident the GOP primary will be packed, and the winner will have a better than average chance of defeating the Democratic nominee.

“One inescapable fact is that President Obama is the only Democrat who will be on the ballot in every county in Arkansas next year. That will be a negative for the Democratic nominee,” Terry said. “With Obama leading the Democratic ticket and the addition of thousands of voters from our region to the 4th district, I believe that the next Congressman from the district will be a Republican.”

Paul Harvel, president of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce, said business leaders in the region should try to find a strong candidate from the area because “it would certainly be an advantage” for the next 4th District Representative to be from the area. However, it’s too early after Ross’ “surprising and shocking” announcement to get behind a candidate.

“That’s something you jump on and try to make that happen,” Harvel said of finding a Congressional candidate from the area. “But it’s too early for me to say that we are definitely going to go out and find somebody to run.”