By Rob Moritz
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK — Two Arkansas Democrats announced plans to run for Congress on Tuesday.
Chad Causey, the former chief of staff of U.S. Rep. Marion Berry, D-Gillett, said he hopes to replace his former boss in the 1st Congressional district.
Also Tuesday, John Adams, an assistant attorney general in the criminal division, announced plans to seek the 2nd Congressional district seat now held by U.S. Rep. Vic Snyder, D-Little Rock.
Both Berry and Snyder have said they will retire at the end of their current terms.
“We face some big challenges, and while I don’t pretend to have all the answers, I do promise that no one will listen longer, no one will work harder and no one will take this responsibility more seriously than I will,” Causey, a Jonesboro native, said in a news release.
Causey said jobs and the economy are the two issues that he has heard most about from voters.
He said his mother worked multiple jobs to provide for him and his brothers growing up, and he bagged groceries to help ends meet.
“People today are experiencing these same hardships; they’re concerned about jobs and their kids education, they’re angry that Wall Street’s wants are trumping Main Street’s needs,” he said.
Republican Rick Crawford of Jonesboro previously announced his candidacy for the 1st District seat that represents eastern Arkansas, as has Green Party candidate Kenton Adler of Batesville.
Former state Sen. Tim Wooldridge of Paragould has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to run for the Democratic 1st District nomination. State Sen. Steve Bryles, D-Blytheville, said Tuesday he has formed an exploratory committee to consider running for the 1st District seat.
Last week, Republican Princilla Smith, an Arkansas native who once worked for ex-House Speaker Newt Gingrich, announced formation of an exploratory committee to test the waters for a run for the 1st District GOP nomination.
On Monday, state Rep. Keith Ingram, D-Memphis, and former Democratic state Sen. Kevin Smith of Helena-West Helena, who said recently that they were considering seeking the congressional seat, said they would not run this year for family and business reasons.
Adams, who worked as a business and tax attorney before going to work in the attorney general’s office, said his experience working with local businesses and governments make him the right candidate for 2nd District congressional seat.
“I look forward to talking with people of this district and sharing my ideas for how we can move ahead,” he said in a news release.
Adams joins two three other Democrats who have announced for the 2nd District seat, House Speaker Robbie Wills, D-Conway, state Sen. Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock, and Snyder’s former chief of staff David Boling of Little Rock.
Two Republicans have announced for the seat, Tim Griffin and Scott Wallace, both of Little Rock.
