Crawford announcement sets up GOP primary in House District 76 seat

A GOP primary is in the works for Arkansas House of Representatives District 76 seat that represents the eastern and southern parts of Fort Smith. Cindy Crawford announced Sunday (Feb. 18) she would seek the seat. Kelly Proctor-Pierce also is running as a Republican for the seat.

Crawford and Proctor-Pierce are running for the seat vacated by Rep. Mat Pitsch, R-Fort Smith, who is running for the District 8 Arkansas Senate seat that represents Fort Smith. No Democrat has yet announced for the House District 76 seat. The filing period is Feb. 22 to March 1.

Crawford is the CEO of Hannah House, which is geared to help women between ages 13-29 in crisis situations, and an owner in Go Ye Employment Services. Crawford said in a statement her campaign focus is “Empowering and Restoring Families.”

“There are many issues plaguing our region that are leading to, among other things, a growing foster care crisis and increased family hardships. Cindy will work to collaborate with every community service organization to help implement innovative and progressive ways to combat our community’s growing issues. These issues stretch wider than Fort Smith, affecting all of Arkansas. As your State Representative, Cindy will work across the aisle to put in place solutions that benefit our entire region,” noted the Crawford statement.

She also noted her desire “to create a healthy, vibrant, and ‘cool’ community, one of which we will all be proud of and will compel our children to invest, work, and live at home.”

The House District 76 seat and Senate District 8 seat are, to date, the only legislative races in or connected to the Fort Smith metro with a GOP primary. Pitsch is facing former Sen. Denny Altes in the GOP primary in the District 8 race, which is also part of a special election to fill the seat vacated when Sen. Jake Files, R-Fort Smith, recently resigned.

Following are the other House and Senate seats in or connected to the Fort Smith metro.

ARKANSAS SENATE
District 6
State Sen. Gary Stubblefield

District 8
* State Rep. Mat Pitsch – R
Denny Altes – R
(Incumbent State Sen. Jake Files has resigned) * Cannot run in special election

District 9
State Sen. Terry Rice – R (incumbent)

ARKANSAS HOUSE
District 74
State Rep. Jon Eubanks – R (incumbent)

District 75
Lee Johnson – R
(Incumbent State Rep. Charlotte Douglas not seeking re-election to seat)

District 76
Kelly Proctor-Pierce – R
Cindy Crawford – R
(Incumbent State Rep. Mat Pitsch seeking State Senate seat)

District 77
State Rep. Justin Boyd – R

District 78
Jay Richardson – D
(Incumbent State Rep. George McGill to run for Fort Smith mayor)

District 79
State Rep. Gary Deffenbaugh – R (incumbent)

District 80
State Rep. Charlene Fite – R (incumbent)
Casey Copeland – L

District 81
State Rep. Bruce Coleman – R (incumbent)
Donnie McKinney – D

District 82
State Rep. Sarah Capp – R (incumbent)

Link here a list of state and federal candidates in the 2018 election cycle.