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Democrats, Green Party seeking opponent for Dobbins Thursday, May 8, 2008 By Rob Moritz Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - Several potential write-in candidates have surfaced to possibly challenge a former state House member seeking to return after resigning his seat amid allegations he fondled a teenage girl, the Democratic Party of Arkansas said Wednesday. Party officials have sought an opponent for former Rep. Dwayne Dobbins of North Little Rock, a Democrat, since he signed up to run for his old seat on the final day for filing. Dobbins' wife, Sharon, did not seek re-election to the seat she won after her husband resigned, and no one else sought the seat. Also, a spokesman for the Green Party of Arkansas said the party is actively recruiting a candidate to run against Dobbins, who resigned the House District 39 seat in 2005 as part of a plea agreement on a misdemeanor harassment charge. Dobbins said Wednesday he was surprised fellow Democrats and the Green Party were searching for someone to run against him. "I haven't really been made aware of that, I thought that process had stopped," Dobbins said. The deadline for filing to run as a write-in candidate for the state House or Senate is Aug. 6, the secretary of state's office said. Democratic Party spokeswoman Darinda Sharp said "several people" have contacted the party expressing interest in running as a write-in for District 39 seat, though none has filed. Former state Rep. Jim Lendall of Mabelvale, a spokesman for the Green Party, said party officials also have "put the word out" they are looking for someone to run against Dobbins. The Green Party's convention to select legislative candidates is June 21. Lendall urged anyone interested in being a write-in candidate to consider the Green Party first. "That's if they agreed pretty much with our platform," he said. "We would welcome them. At least they would be assured of a place on the ballot." Dobbins was in his second term in the state House when he was charged with felony sexual assault after a woman reported that he improperly touched her at her home in September 2004, when she was 17. He later pleaded guilty in Pulaski County Circuit Court to misdemeanor harassment and resigned from the Legislature as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. He was sentenced to a year's probation, fined $1,000 and ordered to undergo counseling. Dwayne Dobbins said Wednesday he decided to seek the office again because his wife's job as a nurse at Veterans Affairs hospital in North Little Rock kept her too busy to file. "I didn't do anything underhanded," he said. If he has a general election opponent, "We're going to get out and campaign," Dwayne Dobbins said. "The people of District 39 have supported me before and I'm hopeful they will again." |
