Lampkin exits race in House

Cancer diagnosis linked to pullout

State Rep. Sheilla Lampkin, D-Monticello
State Rep. Sheilla Lampkin, D-Monticello

State Rep. Sheilla Lampkin, D-Monticello, won't be a candidate on the Nov. 8 general election ballot because she has cancer, her husband, Damon Lampkin, said Wednesday.

"We just found out last week," Damon Lampkin said in brief telephone interview.

Sheilla Lampkin, a 69-year-old retired teacher, has served in the House since 2011 and is vice chairman of the House Education Committee. She represents House District 9, which includes parts of Ashley and Drew counties.

She wants "a viable, worthy Democratic candidate to step up and represent Drew and portions of Ashley County," she said in a handwritten note to the Advance Monticellonian weekly newspaper in Monticello.

"It has been a joy and privilege of serving these past six years," Lampkin wrote.

"I will finish out this term and then, respectfully, resign my position as I have ovarian cancer and with surgery and chemo and the results unknown, I felt it only fair to you to elect someone to serve you faithfully and diligently. May God bless you all."

On Wednesday, Lampkin formally notified the state Democratic Party that she is withdrawing from the House District 9 race and the party plans to inform the governor that it wants to select a nominee for the general election ballot in a convention rather than in special election, said state Democratic Party spokesman H.L. Moody.

Monticello Republican Jim Hall, who is seeking election to the House District 9 seat, said in a written statement that "as a renal cell cancer survivor, I fully understand the fear and concern she feels.

"My family and I join the community in prayer for her full recovery," he said. He declined further comment.

House Speaker Jeremy Gillam, R-Judsonia, said, "My thoughts, prayers and heart go out to her.

"She is a very classy lady," as well as a good legislator, good friend and good person, he said.

House Democratic leader Michael John Gray of Augusta said, "This is a blow to us and we are definitely concerned about her health.

"You can't replace Sheilla Lampkin," he said.

Lampkin brought a unique perspective as an educator and deeply cared about people, Gray said.

Both Gillam and Gray serve on the House Education Committee with Lampkin.

State Democratic Party Chairman Vince Insalaco of North Little Rock said Lampkin has served House District 9 for five years with great compassion for her constituents.

"I was saddened by the news of her illness. I pray for Rep. Lampkin's recovery; I pray for her family," Insalaco said in a written statement. "Sheilla's husband, former Drew County Judge and current chair of the Democratic Party of Drew County Damon Lampkin, is a friend and I pray that he will be granted strength in this difficult time. Life hands us great challenges, and I know that Sheilla and Damon will handle this challenge with courage and dignity."

"The Democratic Party of Arkansas will release details of the process for selecting a nominee for District 9 in short order," Insalaco said.

When a party nominee notifies the state committee of his political party of his intent to refuse nomination "due to serious illness, moving out of the area from which elected as the party's nominee or filing for another office," the party's state committee is required to notify the governor within five days after the date the party was notified whether the party chooses to fill the vacancy in nomination at a special election or a convention under Arkansas Code Annotated 7-7-104.

When the party notifies the governor that it desires to fill the vacancy in nomination by convention, the convention "shall occur no later than twenty five (25) days after the notice is provided to the governor," and the convention "shall be conducted in accordance with the rules of the party," under state law.

"The deadline for us to certify candidates who will appear on the ballot in November is August 25th," said Chris Powell, a spokesman for Republican Secretary of State Mark Martin. "Any withdrawal would need to take place before certification in order for a candidate's name not to appear on the ballot."

The names of a handful of potential candidates were circulated in Democratic circles on Wednesday as potential candidates for the House District 9 seat, several party members said. A few of them could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

Hamburg High School teacher Candace Jeffress of Crossett -- the wife of former state Sen. Jimmy Jeffress, D-Crossett -- said she is considering whether to try to become a candidate.

"We'll just have to see what the process is," she said.

"It is something I have always planned to do," but she would never have challenged Lampkin for the House seat, said Candace Jeffress, who has taught for 30 years.

Grant Pace of Monticello, who is a partner in Regions Forest Services, said, "I just told 'em I would be interested."

But Monticello Mayor Zack Tucker said he has no interest in running for the seat at this point, after serving two years as mayor.

Damon Lampkin said Sheilla Lampkin isn't supporting anyone to be her successor.

"I'm staying out of that," he said.

The 100-member state House of Representatives includes 64 Republicans, 35 Democrats and one independent, Rep. Nate Bell of Mena. The 35-member state Senate includes 24 Republicans and 11 Democrats.

Metro on 07/21/2016

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