Ross: Field Not Yet Settled In Fourth District

I had a good time at the Gillett Coon Supper this weekend.  I will observe that the political crowd shifted from around 5-to-1 Democrats when I went two years ago to pretty evenly split between Republicans and Democrats.  Why?  I would guess a mixture of Republican gains throughout the state in 2010 combined with more Republicans being invited by the folks hosting the pre-coon reception on former Congressman Marion Berry’s farm.

The coon is all well and good, but the real meat being served for a political blogger like me at the event is the political gossip you pick up. Here’s one nugget.

I got a few minutes to visit with Congressman Mike Ross, who told he believes someone else might still enter the race for his open seat in south Arkansas.

“I don’t believe the field is settled yet,” said Ross when I asked what he thought of the current field. He said he felt announcing that he would not be seeking re-election last summer would give Democrats plenty of time to find a candidate, but several could not do it for various reasons – such as his district director Jeff Weaver.  But Ross still believes there is a real opportunity for someone else to enter the race.

Currently, state Sen. Gene Jeffress and former candidate for U.S. Senate D.C. Morrison have announced they will run as Democrats. Filing begins in about a month.