Arkansas lawmaker to switch from Green to Democrat

By The Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK — The highest-ranking Green Party elected official in the country said Wednesday he's switching to the Democratic Party.

State Rep. Richard Carroll of North Little Rock said that he plans to formally switch from the Green Party when the Legislature adjourns Friday.

"Basically the core value of my beliefs is more in line with the Democrats so it was just something that made sense," Carroll told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Carroll, who is 52, was elected last year after Democrats refused to seat Dwayne Dobbins, a former lawmaker who resigned to avoid a felony sexual assault conviction. Dobbins, who left his seat in 2005, filed at the last minute for the seat last year, and after the Democratic Party blocked his candidacy, sued to get on the ballot. But Dobbins' arguments were rejected by the state Supreme Court, which declined to order his name be put onto the ballot.

Carroll, a boilermaker from North Little Rock, beat two write-in candidates to become the highest-ranking Green Party elected official in the country.

Carroll's switch gives Democrats a 72-member majority in the 100-member Arkansas House.

During the legislative session, Carroll had pushed several measures aimed at helping third parties, including a measure signed into law that gives independent and third-party candidates more time to gather signatures to appear on the ballot. Another measure pushed by Carroll that would have opened up political debates on state-owned property to third-party and independent candidates was twice rejected by a House panel.

Carroll also tried unsuccessfully to join the legislative black caucus. Carroll, whose wife is black, said he wanted to join because his district is predominantly black and he wanted to represent his community.