Grimsley Graham, a Democrat and former Rogers High teacher, declared his candidacy for the open state House District 94 seat during a campaign event Saturday (Feb. 15) at Victoria’s Cafe and Bistro in Rogers.
On his campaign website, the retired English teacher and former Marine Corps first lieutenant says education must receive “top billing in the state budget.”
“As a former high school teacher with 30 years of service, I can attest that Arkansas schools have vastly improved since I was in school,” he writes. “Arkansas is actually considered a leader in some areas of education. Good public schools also produce good citizens.”
The picture accompanying this story, copied from Graham’s campaign Facebook page, shows Graham, center, during his campaign kickoff event on Saturday. Also pictured are state Reps. David Whitaker, left, and Greg Leding, both D-Fayetteville.
Graham is the third candidate, but first Democrat, to announce they are vying for the House seat being vacated by state Rep. Debra Hobbs, R-Rogers. Hobbs previously announced she was running for governor but dropped out of that race this week to seek the lieutenant governor’s office in the 2014 primary election.
Rogers Republican Rebecca Petty, a child and crime-victim advocate, said Feb. 6 she is running for the state House District 94 seat.
Marge Wolf, a member of the Rogers City Council and president and CEO of the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank, also is running for the House District 94 seat in the GOP primary.
Candidates have until the first week of March to file for office.
The primary election is May 20, with the winners from each party advancing to the Nov. 4 general election.
While there are no Democratic state legislators in Benton County, Graham says on his campaign website that the party has declared the House District 94 seat “winnable” for a Democrat.
“Voting records show that Benton County holds more Democrats than any other county in the state except Pulaski County,” he writes.
