More than 260 candidates file for elected offices on first day of filing period
by February 25, 2014 6:00 am 77 views
Day One of political filing in Arkansas saw contestants for U.S. Senator, Congress, Governor, and Lt. Governor file paperwork at the state capitol.
Arkansas’ candidate filing period for this year’s election cycle opened at noon on Monday (Feb. 24) as more than 250 candidates put their names on the dotted line.
U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Dardanelle, filed for the U.S. Senate. Former U.S. Rep. Asa Hutchinson and Curtis Coleman filed for Arkansas Governor for the GOP primary, and U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin, R-Little Rock and Rep. Andy Mayberry, R-Hensley, for Lt. Governor.
No Democrats filed for those offices on day one, but they are expected to file later in the week.
For Congress, Democrat James Lee Witt made his Fourth District candidacy official as did Republican Rep. Bruce Westerman. U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro, and U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, filed for re-election for their First and Third District seats, respectively.
In the Second District Congressional District, Democrat Pat Hays filed as did Rep. Ann Clemmer, R-Benton, and Republican French Hill.
All told, more than 135 candidates filed for races that included federal offices, constitutional offices, state representatives, and state senators. Another 125 filed for judicial or prosecutorial offices.
The candidate filing period will close at noon on Monday, March 3.