By Rob Moritz
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK — The lone Republican in Arkansas’ congressional delegation shoved his way into a crowded GOP race for the U.S. Senate today.
U.S. Rep. John Boozman of Rogers said concern that President Obama and congressional Democrats were trying to spend the nation into prosperity prompted him to give up a safe 3rd District seat in Republican Northwest Arkansas to join the GOP race for the nomination to take on Democratic incumbent Blanche Lincoln in November.
“Like many Arkansans, I am concerned that the Obama-Pelosi-Reid agenda … is too costly for our country,” Boozman, with family and friends at his side, said in announcing his candidacy during a news conference in the Old Supreme Court room at the state Capitol.
“We need policies that protect and create jobs for hardworking Arkansans and improve the quality of life for all Americans,” he said. “Our children and grandchildren deserve the prosperous and thriving American that we have worked to create.”
The five-term congressman becomes the ninth Republican contender for the GOP nomination to challenge Lincoln’s bid for re-election to a third term. North Little Rock businessman Tom Cox dropped out of the race Friday.
Boozman also becomes the third Arkansas U.S. House member to not seek re-election this year. U.S. Reps. Marion Berry, D-Gillette, and Vic Snyder, D-Little Rock, announced last month they would retire at the end of their current terms. Only Rep. Mike Ross, D-Prescott, is seeking re-election.
Boozman’s opponents in the Republican Party primary welcomed him to the race today but also questioned whether he is the breath of fresh air they said Arkansans are looking for in a U.S. senator.
“Arkansans are looking for new ideas and real-world solutions, for leaders who have the courage to stop our out-of-control spending,” said Curtis Coleman of Little Rock.
Conrad Reynolds of Conway, who attended Boozman’s announcement, said the congressman has a “voting record that needs to be looked at,” without being specific.
“I think all that will come out in due time,” he said.
Boozman voted for the unpopular 2008 bank bailout pushed by former President Bush in the aftermath of the Wall Street meltdown.
In a news release Saturday, state Sen. Gilbert Baker, R-Conway, said Arkansans “are looking for leaders who will be part of the solution, not those who have been part of the problem.”
Baker has been the front-runner in fundraising among the Republican senatorial candidates with more than $600,000 on hand.
During his speech, Boozman said he supports a balanced budget amendment and said health care reform legislation before Congress would hurt the economy and small businesses. He criticized the $787 billion federal stimulus package approved by Congress and signed by the president last year, saying it did too little to create jobs.
He told reporters later that the nation is at crossroads.
We’re at a defining point in our history as to which tack we go, whether we swing towards more of a socialistic European-style of democracy, or we stay on track, ” Boozman said.
Boozman defended his bailout vote, saying action was necessary to prevent an economic meltdown. Other GOP contenders are trying to use the vote to question his conservatism, Boozman said.
“I didn’t believe the conservative thing to do was to let us financially melt down,” he said, adding that much of the money has been repaid to the federal government.
Boozman said he was “uniquely qualified” to be in the U.S. Senate.
“I’ve been in Washington for nine years, we’ve worked really hard for our district … we’ve worked hard to provide the constituent services that people expect,” he said. “Also, I’ve worked hard to represent the 3rd District with the conservative values that people want, the people of Arkansas are looking at and they are not getting.”
Also today, Rogers Mayor Steve Womack said he would announce his candidacy for the 3rd District congressional seat on Monday.
