Ten Arkansans are seeking one of the state’s four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives in the November election. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)
Arkansans seeking to unseat the state’s four Republican incumbents in the U.S. House of Representatives are implementing grassroots tactics instead of trying to keep pace with the fundraising efforts of their opponents who have amassed millions of campaign dollars.
Democrat Marcus Jones, who’s running a “shoeleather campaign” for Arkansas’ 2nd Congressional District, said it’s difficult to match Rep. French Hill’s fundraising efforts because he’s been collecting campaign funds for a decade.
Hill had about $2.3 million cash on hand at the end of June, according to the most recently available Federal Election Commission data. Meanwhile, Jones had about $57,000.
“He sits on a pretty large warchest, and I knew that coming into it,” Jones said in an interview. “We would not be able to initially out-raise him, but we can outwork him, and that’s how we’ve approached this.”
Jones’ strategy for his first campaign is direct voter contact through canvassing initiatives, mixed with complementary efforts like direct mail and digital ads. The Little Rock Democrat said he’s relying on “an incredible army of volunteers” to assist with door-knocking efforts. To date, the campaign has knocked on about 7,000 doors in central Arkansas and the goal is to hit 10,000 by the election.
“What we have found to be really effective is that direct engagement, and we get to hear what Arkansans care about and what they think about and what their issues are,” Jones said. “And that gives us incredible insight and excitement into what we’re going to do to represent them.”
Similarly, Hill said his campaign is focused on using “a well-rounded strategy,” which includes canvassing, meet and greets, digital advertising and traditional ads on television, cable, streaming services and radio.
“Each election cycle, I assess how much we should spend to ensure that the message of service and policies for lower inflation, a secure Southwest border, and getting things done for Arkansans is seen and heard,” Hill said in response to emailed questions.
From Jan. 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, Hill spent more than $81,300 on various forms of advertising, including online and radio ads, according to campaign finance reports. He also spent $27,700 on direct mail services and another $4,300 on printing services.
No specific advertising costs are listed on Jones’ latest campaign filing report; however, he did spend about $5,000 on campaign merchandise and event expenses, as well as $4,300 on printing, ink and postage. He also reported spending $18,421 on fundraising and fundraising consulting.
At the end of June, Arkansas’ four Congressmen had a total of more than $8 million on hand while their Democratic challengers had a combined total of nearly $101,000. The two Libertarian candidates reported no contributions or expenditures.
All ten candidates are scheduled to participate in debates hosted by Arkansas PBS next week. You can also learn more about the candidates through their campaign websites and by reading their responses to interviews with the Arkansas Advocate below.
U.S. Congressional District 1
1st Congressional District candidates (left to right) Republican U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, Democrat Rodney Govens and Libertarian Steve Parsons. (Courtesy photos)
Incumbent Rick Crawford is facing two challengers in his bid for an eighth term in the U.S. House of Representatives — Democrat Rodney Govens and Libertarian Steve Parsons. The Jonesboro Republican was first elected in 2010 to represent the 1st district, which covers the eastern half of the state.
Prior to his election to Congress, Crawford served in the U.S. Army and earned a degree in agriculture business and economics from Arkansas State University. The congressman is the current chairman of the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
If re-elected, Crawford’s top priority is addressing the national debt crisis by enacting permanent spending controls, so the country can “put the shovel down and start to get out of the hole we have dug for ourselves,” according to his campaign website.
“I fear that if we fail to adequately address our debt crisis, the greatest threat to our nation … we will succumb to the immense weight of interest expenses on our debt that would soon overtake the total amount of money budgeted to run the Pentagon,” his website states.
Crawford did not respond to emailed questions by publication deadline.
Fellow Army vet Rodney Govens is running on the Democratic ticket. The 40-year-old Cabot resident has a background in telecommunications and is seeking office for a second time. His first campaign was an unsuccessful bid for Arkansas House District 44 in 2020 against Republican incumbent Cameron Cooper.
If he wins in November, Govens said he will focus on improving the foster care system and access to Veterans Affairs services. Govens lived in a South Carolina children’s home and currently volunteers as a court-appointed special advocate.
Many foster kids end up in the criminal justice system, so better preparing them for when they become adults would have a positive impact on communities, Govens said.
“If we can fix foster care, make it more successful for the kids that age out and proactively keep kids out of criminal justice systems early, we’re going to be wildly successful as a society,” he said.
Govens said he’s running because community members recruited him and because he wants to provide Arkansas better representation in Congress.
“I chose Arkansas to be my home because Arkansas is full of good people, and it’s time that we get some representation that actually reflects that,” he said. “We have feckless leadership up there in Washington D.C.”
Libertarian Steve Parsons said he’s seeking office “to give another voice and another choice” to voters. The 70-year-old Lakeview retiree most recently sought office in 2022 when he was defeated by Stetson Painter, who currently represents District 3 in the Arkansas House.
Parsons has a PhD in economics and said one his biggest priorities if elected would be reducing inflation, which he said can be done by cutting government spending, reducing government regulations and curtailing the Federal Reserve’s ability to create money.
“Reducing regulation will allow you to produce more goods and services or produce them at lower costs, and the Federal Reserve will reduce the ability to create money out of thin air,” he said.
As a third-party candidate, Parsons said he knows his chances of winning are slim because incumbents are generally favored, but that doesn’t mean voting is unimportant.
“From a Libertarian’s perspective, their vote is more important because for people who are tired of business as usual, big government, hyperpartisan, march in lockstep with party leadership and regurgitating the party line — people are tired of that — you can send a signal by saying let me vote libertarian and business as usual is no longer acceptable,” Parsons said.
U.S. Congressional District 2
2nd Congressional District candidates (left to right) Republican U.S. Rep. French Hill and Democrat Marcus Jones. (Courtesy photos)
U.S. Rep. French Hill was elected in 2014 to represent the state’s 2nd district, which encompasses central Arkansas. The Republican incumbent must defeat Democrat Marcus Jones to earn a sixth term in office.
Hill, who describes himself as a former business owner, community banker and civic volunteer, said he’s seeking reelection to continue “important work” that includes reducing inflation, supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities and fighting for veterans’ benefits for his neighbors in his hometown of Little Rock.
If voters send Hill back to Washington, he said his priority is meeting the various needs of Central Arkansans.
“Instead of Washington-centric policies that simply double down on big spending and debt, it is crucial that we invigorate our economy with pro-growth policies, reduce the regulatory burden that is harming business owners and workers, and support Arkansans keeping more of their hard-earned money,” Hill said.
Democrat Marcus Jones likewise said he hopes to address the needs of Arkansans and sees representing the 2nd district as an extension of his nearly three decades of military service. The first-time candidate said he’s always had a keen interest in politics and retired as an Army colonel after 29 years to run in this election cycle.
Given his background and experience, Jones said he is interested in national security and is “uniquely positioned” to address the issue. If elected, the Little Rock Democrat said he’d also focus on things that affect everyday Arkansans, such as access to affordable health care.
“I am an expert problem solver and I am a strategic thinker,” Jones said. “I bring a proven track record of service leading large organizations to do really complex and difficult things under the most arduous circumstances, and I am ready to bring that experience and that leadership to Congress in service of the 2nd district.”
U.S. Congressional District 3
3rd Congressional District candidates (left to right) Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, Caitlin Draper and Libertarian Bobby Wilson. (Courtesy photos)
Congressman Steve Womack said he’s running for reelection to give future generations “the opportunity to pursue the American dream,” which he said can be done through “less government, lower taxes, pro-growth policies, a secure border, and a strong national defense.”
The 67-year-old Republican incumbent from Rogers was elected to Congress in 2010 and now chairs the House Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies. He’s facing Democrat Caitlin Draper and Libertarian Bobby Wilson in November’s election.
If reelected, Womack said his priorities include “reversing the harmful policies of the Biden-Harris agenda by restoring the conservative values that define our great nation” by reining in “bloated spending and restrictive policies,” reinstating effective border security policies and enhancing defense capabilities.
Additionally, the retired Army colonel said he would continue to work with local leaders to deliver tangible results to communities across the 3rd District, which includes the northwest corner of the state, through his work on the House Committee on Appropriations.
“I have a strong record of securing funding to directly flow back to infrastructure projects right here in Arkansas to respond to the needs of our growing region and boost our economy,” Womack said. “I will also continue to solve problems and cut bureaucratic red tape for Arkansans through top-notch constituent service and casework.”
Caitlin Draper, a licensed clinical social worker and adjunct lecturer at the University of Arkansas, is looking to unseat the incumbent in November.
The Democrat believes in “empathy, hard work, and community,” which is why she’s focused on lowering the cost of health care for families, protecting public education and reproductive rights, and addressing the climate crisis, according to her campaign website.
Draper canceled a scheduled interview with the Advocate this week due to illness.
The Fayetteville Democrat is committed to ensuring health care coverage for all Arkansans because it improves public health outcomes, reduces health disparities and promotes overall well-being, according to her website.
“A healthy population is more likely to contribute to the economic and social development of a nation,” her website states. “Providing healthcare for all not only reflects a society’s commitment to its people’s welfare but also leads to stronger, more resilient communities and a fairer, more inclusive society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”
Libertarian Bobby Wilson has previously run for city council and justice of the peace, but this is his first time running for federal office. The 44-year-old Bentonville resident who manages a company that supplies and installs trim and doors for new residential construction joked that he’s “failing upwards.”
As a Libertarian, Wilson said he believes in market principles and thinks having more choices produces better results, and it’s no different when it comes to elections.
“I really do believe that more options lead to better outcomes, and whether you win or lose, it causes things to be better,” he said.
The same principle can be applied to the legislative process, Wilson said. If people commit to making the process better, it will result in better outcomes, said Wilson, who wants to focus on improving processes if elected.
As an example, Wilson referenced Congress often approving 12 appropriations bills all together. The Benton County Libertarian said he would never support an omnibus bill or continuing resolution, as has often been the case with approving the federal budget in recent years, because it’s a bad process that leads to bad outcomes.
Additionally, Wilson said he would also like to look at loosening U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations in order to give people access to life-saving drugs more quickly.
As a Libertarian, Wilson said he rejects the notion that voting for a third-party candidate hurts the election chances of either of the two major parties.
“They have to earn our vote and then while they’re elected, we have to stay on top of them to make sure that they’re doing their job,” Wilson said. “…Nobody is owed your vote. They have to earn it.”
U.S. Congressional District 4
4th Congressional District candidates (left to right) Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman and Democrat Risie Howard. (Courtesy photo)
Incumbent Bruce Westerman became the 4th Congressional District’s representative during the 2014 election. The lifelong Garland County resident is competing against Democrat Risie Howard for a sixth term in office.
Westerman, who currently chairs the House Committee on Natural Resources, said on his campaign website that he’s asking for voters’ support as he fights “to move Arkansas forward by pushing for lower taxes, reforming our healthcare system and advocating for conservative values.”
Westerman did not respond to emailed questions by publication deadline.
Westerman’s website says he has helped reduce government regulations and supported tax cuts for the 4th District, which covers much of western Arkansas.
Westerman, who’s the U.S. House’s only forester, said he’s proud that several pieces of his Resilient Federal Forests Act, legislation he introduced to address forestry management issues, have been signed into law.
“There are multiple success stories of science based forest management right here in Arkansas and our federal land managers need the freedom to create successes all across our beautiful country,” Westerman said on his website. “Healthy forests mean both cleaner air and cleaner water…the two very indicators we use to measure environmental stewardship. Taking care of our forests should never be a partisan issue.”
Democrat Risie Howard hopes to unseat Westerman during her first bid for national office. The Pine Bluff attorney said she’s running because she believes in public service, which is also part of her family’s legacy.
One of Howard’s priorities if elected is infrastructure, especially as it relates to getting cell service, paved roads and lights on roads in areas that lack them.
Howard said Newton County residents have told her their monthly water bills average $124 dollars because city water lines are old and leak. In Ouachita County, some roads lacked lighting and old, one-lane bridges “shook as if they were about to collapse” when driving on them, Howard said.
“The people of Arkansas deserve better,” she said.
Howard noted that Westerman voted against both the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, legislation designed to provide funds for repaving roads and updating water systems across the country.
“The Inflation Reduction Act, in particular, was designed to provide roughly $18 billion in programs impacting farmers,” she said. “With Arkansas being an agricultural state, with many unemployed, those were inconsiderate votes.”
Howard also said she’d work on the Farm Bill, which has expired, “leaving farmers, ranchers and forest landowners without stability, support and consistency; especially farmers that are socially disadvantaged, veteran, young, or new to farming.”
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