U.S. Rep. Mike Ross, the only Democrat among Arkansas’ four House members, announced Monday he won’t seek re-election next year.
Ross, who has expressed interest in running for governor in 2014, said in a statement that he wants to spend time with his family and explore “new opportunities here at home in Arkansas.” He later said opting out of next year’s House run keeps the gubernatorial race an open possibility.
“If I ran for re-election and won, then I think I would have closed that door,” he said during a news conference in Little Rock.
Ross is in his sixth term representing Arkansas’ sprawling 4th District, which gained some counties from traditionally Republican territory in the northwestern part of the state during this year’s redistricting process. The move wasn’t expected to hurt a Ross re-election bid, but could make the district questionable for Democrats without him.
The congressman said redistricting did not factor into his decision and that he believes the 4th District can remain in Democrats’ hands. He said he could think of 10 or 12 potential candidates, but declined to name any and said he hadn’t spoken with them.
“I never believed that my service in the U.S. Congress should become a permanent career,” Ross said. “Simply put, it is someone else’s turn to represent our state in the U.S. Congress.”
Read tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
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