Lt. Gov. Mark Darr readies for a 4th District bid

How close can a person get to confirming their intention to run for an office without actually saying yes? Pretty darn close, it turns out. Just ask Lt. Gov. Mark Darr.

In an interview Wednesday (July 31), Darr confirmed that he not only has moved back to his hometown of Mansfield (Scott County), in the 4th Congressional District, but he would he making an announcement within the next two to three weeks about his political future.

Darr said Wednesday morning that the planned announcement would take place shortly after U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton, the Republican currently representing the 4th District, makes an announcement about his political future. (However, several media outlets reported after the Darr interview with The City Wire that Cotton would be entering the race against U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, a Democrat. Democratic groups also late Wednesday morning issued statements criticizing Cotton’s entry in the Senate race. The City Wire is working to follow up with Darr.)

"I assume, everybody assumes, that he'll challenge Mark Pryor, but I don't have any inside information on that," Darr said.

Regarding his not yet-confirmed run for Congress, Darr said he's getting close to making it a done deal.

"I'm pretty sure I do (want to run). Obviously, anything can happen. So I'm keeping that fluid. But I believe that in the next two to three weeks, it'll be 100%, so I'm pretty sure of what I'm going to be doing. But with all of the people involved, I think it's best out of respect to other people that I keep that to myself until I'm ready to announce."

When Darr is ready to pull the trigger, he said he already has commitments from donors.

"Obviously, there's a long way to go on anything, but I've already got some firm commitments and I'll be talking to a lot more people today. I'm confident that I'll not only compete in the race that I run, but I'll win."

Darr has said previously that a campaign for the 4th was about a 75% likelihood for him, though the news on yesterday that he had moved his family from their home in Northwest Arkansas back to Mansfield brought attention to his political future.

Even though he has moved, Darr said it was not just about his probable run for Congress.

"Actually, where I'm moving is right across the street from my childhood home. I'm real excited about it, the kids growing up in the country instead of on a lot (in a subdivision). …I'm originally from the Fourth. For me, it's just moving home. I have family nearby in the area in Greenwood and a lot of high school friends. For me, it's just a support system and just a great place to raise kids."

Asked whether he is concerned about being labeled a political opportunist, the lieutenant governor brushed off what could become a label placed on other Arkansans, such as Hillary Clinton when she ran for U.S. Senate in New York.

"I'm not worried about it. If I were to run, that label's coming. If they're having to label me as a carpetbagger, they're desperate. You only target the person that's ahead of you. If they label me that, I'm a threat to them and I'm obviously ahead."

The only thing that has given Darr pause in his decision to likely run for the 4th District is that he may run against close friends in the Republican primary. Two of those friends are State Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Hot Springs, and Beth Anne Rankin, who was the 2010 Republican nominee in the race for the Fourth District.

"They're both great people. And I'm sure there may be others out there. That happened last time. If the seat were to open up, I'm sure there would be candidates I'm not even aware of yet. No one wants to go through it, but I think it will make me a better candidate."

While an announcement is coming, Darr said no formal campaign team has yet been assembled.

"Obviously, no matter what I do, the first few weeks will focus on fundraising. I'm not focused on hiring staff. Instead, you stockpile and realize that it's a long election and save as much as you can until the end."

As for whether any national Republicans will involve themselves in the Fourth District race, Darr said he is not yet certain.

"I've spoken to them, basically just informal, nothing official, as far as what services do they offer, or what information do they want from me. Basically, that sort of thing. Just surface conversations. Nothing in depth. But I haven't let them know my plans. It's been a while, probably a month or so. But I haven't been in contact with them since."

Regardless of whether he has the support of the national party, Darr said he is ready to get to work campaigning for what could be his next job in government.

"I already represent the Fourth District. I've proven that the Fourth District is important. I'm from there, went to college there. Met my wife there. And as a Republican, it's our future. The Third District has been our stronghold, but I tell you the Fourth is going to be pretty even with it. The size of it, you're pretty much running a statewide race anyway. And I'm used to going it."