Copyright Arkansas Online
Mental health advocate James "Rus" Russell III, who previously announced a run for U.S. Senate, will instead make a run for Arkansas 4th Congressional District challenging U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark. Russell, a Democrat from Little Rock, initially announced a run for Senate in August, but announced last week he had withdrawn from the race after not wanting to run in a contested primary, saying instead he would seek a different post. On Friday, he announced he would run for Arkansas' 4th Congressional District, which covers much of the south and southwestern portions of the state, including Texarkana, El Dorado and Hot Springs. "The 4th District has been represented by Bruce Westerman for over 10 straight years now, and I've see precious little done by him to improve life for any of his constituents who weren't big money corporations," Russell said in a post on Facebook announcing his candidacy. On his website, which still states his intent to run for the U.S. Senate, Russell describes himself as "unapologetically Progressive while also being a Fiscal Realist." Westerman, of Hot Springs, was first elected to Congress in 2014. He currently serves as the chair of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources. In 2024, Westerman easily won reelection, defeating Democrat Risie Howard with 73% of the vote. Russell, owner of a mental health outpatient clinic, previously ran for office in 2022, losing in the Democratic primary for governor to Chris Jones. Check back for updates.
