FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas – Democrat David Whitaker announced on Monday that he is running for the Arkansas House of Representatives in the 2012 election.
Whitaker, 50, announced his intention to seek the Democratic nomination for the newly created House District 85, which consists of the city of Farmington and several precincts in Fayetteville.
“I am proud to stand up for working families in Fayetteville and Farmington, and I will carry their voice to the state legislature in Little Rock,” Whitaker said on Monday.
Whitaker pledged to fight for good-paying jobs, better support for public school districts, and a responsive government that will put the middle class first.
“It’s time for Arkansas to claim our place at the top when it comes to educating our people, building our economy and ensuring the well-being of our children,” Whitaker said in his announcement.
He also pledged to stand beside Governor Mike Beebe when it comes to putting Arkansas families first, and rejecting the divisive politics of Washington.
“I am proud to have supported Mike Beebe, a governor who cut taxes and created jobs in one of the worst economic downturns since the Great Depression. If you send me to Little Rock, I will stand beside Governor Beebe as we lead our state to even greater successes,” Whitaker said.
Whitaker first entered public service in 1983, when he joined the United States Air Force as a Cryptologic Linguist, and was honorably discharged at the rank of Staff Sergeant in 1989. He attended the University Of Arkansas School of Law and graduated in 1999. He clerked for the 4th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney in Fayetteville, before coordinating the Washington County Domestic Violence Task Force from 1999-2000.
In 2001, Whitaker was appointed Assistant City Attorney for the City of Fayetteville, where he worked until 2009, when he ran for US Congress. He was unopposed in the Democratic primary and gathered over 56,000 votes in November’s general election. He is a member of the Arkansas Bar Association and past Chair of the Association’s Law School Committee. He was named Outstanding Government Attorney by the Association’s Government Practice Section in 2007. Whitaker is currently an adjunct faculty member at Northwest Arkansas Community College.
The District 85 seat is currently held by Representative Uvalde Lindsey (D – HD88), who announced on Saturday that he would be seeking the State Senate seat being vacated by Senator Sue Madison (D-SD7).
To find out which House District you live in, please visit
www.arkansasredistricting.org
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