State Sen. Gilbert Baker has won a straw pool among the state’s Republicans for the U.S. Senate race.
Baker won 35 percent of the vote among more than 700 ballots cast at the state’s GOP meeting Saturday. Curtis Coleman, CEO of Safe Foods, finished second with 33 percent.
The poll occurred at a meeting the state GOP is hosting in Hot Springs. Seven Republicans addressed a crowded room, arguing that they’re the best choice to take on Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln next year.
The poll comes as the crowded GOP field could grow even further. Former state Sen. Jim Holt, who ran unsuccessfully against Lincoln in the 2004 campaign, says he’s leaning toward another run.
Former Arkansas Farm Bureau President Stanley Reed has also said he’s considering running for the Republican senate primary.