President Donald J. Trump announced Wednesday he will nominate U.S. Sen. John Boozman's director of special projects to be federal co-chairman of the Delta Regional Authority.
If approved, Christopher Caldwell of Little Rock would succeed Chris Masingill, whose tenure with the agency came to an end in July.
Caldwell previously worked as the campaign manager for Boozman's 2016 reelection run and the political director of his 2010 campaign, according to a statement from the White House.
The authority, which was created in 2000 with the support of President Bill Clinton, covers seven states along the Mississippi River plus Alabama and encompasses 252 counties and parishes, many of them with high rates of poverty.
The authority was one of 19 independent agencies targeted for closure under a 2018 budget blueprint released in March by the White House Office of Management and Budget.
The organization, which awards millions of dollars in grants each year, "fosters local and regional partnerships that address economic and social challenges to ultimately strengthen the Delta economy and the quality of life for Delta residents," its website states.
Masingill was appointed by President Barack Obama, but Trump's administration retained him for an additional six months.
Read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
Washington correspondent Frank E. Lockwood contributed to this story.