Lt. Gov. Mark Darr has moved to Mansfield in the 4th Congressional District and has scheduled a campaign announcement for Monday (Aug. 12) on his expected bid for the seat being vacated by Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.
Darr’s announcement is set to occur at Buckner Park in Witcherville on Monday at 6 p.m. Witcherville is near Darr’s new home in Mansfield.
Cotton, a first-term congressman from Dardanelle, declared this week he is running for the U.S. Senate in the 2014 election against incumbent Mark Pryor.
Darr previously told 5NEWS he is seriously considering a race in south Arkansas’ 4th Congressional District, pending a decision by Cotton whether to run for the Senate.
On Wednesday (Aug. 7), Darr told 5NEWS he has moved to a house in Scott County between Waldron and Mansfield. The house has a Mansfield address. Darr said he and his wife, Kim, have filled out voter-registration paperwork in Scott County, adding his wife even has her driver’s license with the Mansfield address.
(In a photo by 5NEWS, Darr is shown with Kim at a GOP event in Rogers in May.)
The Darrs recently moved to Mansfield from Springdale, which is in the 3rd Congressional District, where incumbent Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., is seeking re-election.
Darr said his house in Springdale is for sale.
Darr, a Republican, has said any criticism about him being a newcomer to the 4th District could be countered by his pointing out that the residents there — and the entire state — are already his constituents as lieutenant governor.
In addition to Darr, state Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Hot Springs, is set to enter the race for the 4th Congressional District seat. Westerman has scheduled an announcement for Tuesday morning in Hot Springs.
A Hot Springs Democrat, Janis Percefull, already is vying for the seat.
If Darr enters the congressional race as anticipated, state Rep. Charlie Collins, R-Fayetteville, is expected to announce next week that he will run for lieutenant governor.
