Mike Ross Draws Primary Opponent In Lynette Bryant

The first major surprise of the 2014 candidate filing season arose when Dr. Lynette Bryant filed paperwork to challenge Mike Ross for the Democratic nomination for Governor.

Bryant, who lives in Little Rock, said she didn’t provide advanced plans of her intentions to Democratic Party leaders because she figured they would try to talk her out of running.

Janelle Lilley with our content partner, KATV Ch. 7, interviewed Bryant late Friday.

Bryant told KATV that she decided to enter the race because she “could not vote for Mike Ross” and saw no other viable alternatives to that candidate.

Bryant supports Democrat Sen. Mark Pryor and attributes his current close race with Republican Rep. Tom Cotton to Ross’s decision to vacate the seat in the 4th Congressional District. Cotton won that seat in 2012.

“I would have respected him more had he stayed in that office got to this point and said, ‘Now, I want to be your governor.’ Then I would say, ‘You know what, you’ve got my vote.’ But, when he left, he left the door open for anyone to get in. He no longer wanted to do it,” said Bryant.

Bryant said she did not feel ‘guilty’ about not informing the Democratic Party prior to filing as a candidate. She said she believed she would not have had the party’s support.

“It’s like the Hatfields and the McCoys. They’re always fighting, and I don’t care if you say it the Democrats that are the Hatfields or McCoys or the Republicans, but nothing gets done. We’re the people in the middle, and we’re the people getting squashed on and not getting the job done for us. I have finally said, I’ve had enough,” said Bryant.

You can read more at this link.

Bryant has been active in Democratic Party politics in the past.  She was a vocal supporter of Sen. Blanche Lincoln in 2010.