Arkansas Highway Commissioner John Burkhalter says he will make an announcement Tuesday that will run for a statewide office, but isn't saying which one.
There has been a lot of speculation in recent months that Burkhalter is considering a run for the Democratic nomination for Governor. Sitting Governor Mike Beebe is term-limited and can not run for re-election.
Burkhalter, who is also a small business owner and entrepreneur, has close ties to Beebe, as well as former President Bill Clinton.
Burkhalter will make his announcement during a conference call with reporters Tuesday at 2 PM.
"He's talked to a lot of people about running for governor," said Roby Brock of Talk Business Arkansas.
"It's unclear how the whole Mike Ross re-entry to the race after Dustin McDaniel dropped out... and of course you've got former Lt. Gov. Bill Halter on the Democratic side, which is where Burkhalter would run. You don't know if he'll run for governor or he might run for lieutenant governor, where there is a much clearer path to winning the Democratic nomination," Brock said.
Meanwhile in the race for the Republican nomination for governor, former Congressman Asa Hutchinson and Little Rock businessman Curtis Coleman have announced their candidacies for governor.
