The first Democrat has entered the race for Arkansas governor this election cycle.
State Sen. Fredrick “Fred” Love, D-Mabelvale, announced his candidacy for his party’s gubernatorial nomination on Monday. Love is barred from seeking re-election to the Arkansas Legislature due to term limits.
“After serving nearly two decades in House and Senate, I’ve seen what Arkansas can be and I’ve seen what’s holding us back. Today, I’m stepping forward to do something about it,” Love said in a post on Facebook.
In a news release, Love vowed to run on a platform of "protecting public schools, empowering communities and driving inclusive economic growth across the state."
“We can either stay on the path that sidelines our kids, weakens our schools, and silences our town — or we can choose a future that values every student, every community, and every small business owner,” Love said.
Love also announced a "Place-Based Economic Development Plan," aimed at sparking sustainable growth in rural and urban communities. The plan aims to establish regional economic development hubs, ease barriers to entry for small businesses, invest in infrastructure and partner with schools "to align education with job creation."
So far, Love is the only Democrat to announce a challenge to incumbent Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ re-election. If successful, Love would be the first African American governor of Arkansas.
The Democratic Party of Arkansas’ last nominee for the governor’s race, Chris Jones, was the first African American candidate to run for governor as a Democrat, and was the first to win a Democratic primary for a statewide race.
Jones ultimately lost to Sanders, securing about 35% of the vote compared to Sanders’ 63%.
In a statement responding to Love's announcement, DPA Chair Grant Tennille focused mainly on Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' record, adding the party expects a "crowded primary."
“Gov. Sanders' record of failure is motivating folks from all across Arkansas to seek public office. Her voucher scam has defunded our public schools, the Franklin County prison fiasco has turned her own voters against her, and her out-of-control spending is ultimately going to cause a tax increase for all of us," Tennille said.
This story has been updated to include details from a news release and a statement from the Democratic Party of Arkansas.
