Five Democrats are expected to seek the party’s nomination to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton in next year’s election, with one candidate formally launching his campaign Wednesday at the state Capitol.
James Russell III of Little Rock, who ran in the 2022 Democratic gubernatorial primary, announced his candidacy at a news conference. Russell said Arkansas voters need a senator who will stand up for everyday people rather than corporations and special interests.
“We need elected leaders in office who are willing to work for the people, not for the corporations and not for the special interests,” Russell said. “That leader, I feel, is me.”
Russell, originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, moved to Arkansas in 1991. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Arkansas and helps run his wife’s mental health counseling practice. He criticized Cotton for opposing federal disaster relief before requesting aid for Arkansas following last year’s severe storms.
Russell also cited supporting reproductive rights and human rights abroad as central to his platform. He said he believes Democrats can compete in a state that has not elected one to statewide office in more than a decade by offering policies that appeal to voters who often sit out elections.
Russell joins a growing field of Democrats, including Newport farmer and businesswoman Hallie Shoffner, who announced her campaign in May, and Lewisville Mayor Ethan Dunbar, who filed with the Federal Election Commission on Aug. 19. Jonathan Pittman of Forrest City and Dan Whitfield of Bella Vista have also filed FEC paperwork.
Cotton, who was first elected in 2014, officially launched his reelection bid in February. He is seeking a third term and chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee. So far, no Republican has filed to challenge him in the primary.
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