Former Little Rock School Board member Dianne Curry said Wednesday that she's seeking the 2nd Congressional District seat -- held by Little Rock Republican French Hill -- and wants to work on improving the economy, education and health care.
The 61-year-old Democrat, a tax consultant and retired state employee, said she decided to run because "this is an opportunity for me me to continue to step out and step up to address many of the issues that are not being addressed."
She said many people had urged her to run, and she hopes to raise at least $500,000 for her campaign.
Curry said she had no criticism of Hill, who was elected in November.
"That's not really where I want to go," she said.
In June 2013, Curry announced her bid for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor only to endorse fellow Democrat John Burkhalter of Little Rock for the post several weeks later, saying she wanted to unite the party behind Burkhalter's campaign.
Curry said Wednesday that she doesn't intend to bow out of her campaign for Congress.
"I am set to go all the way, regardless of what happens," she said. "I think I will be a challenging candidate for the position."
Curry said she's not sure whether she'll have a Democratic challenger in the March 1 primary.
She is the first Democrat to announce a bid for one of Arkansas' seats in Congress during the 2016 election. Earlier this week, former U.S. Attorney Conner Eldridge of Fayetteville said he's considering challenging Republican U.S. Sen. John Boozman of Rogers.
Republicans hold the states's four congressional seats and its two U.S. Senate seats. Arkansas' GOP has made historic gains in Congress, the Arkansas Legislature and the state's constitutional offices during the past two election cycles, in part by linking Democrats to President Barack Obama.
But Curry said she has a shot at winning because "we have a lot of people who don't vote," and one of her goals is to help register new voters "to bring more people to vote to the table."
She said she supports the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that Obama signed into law in 2010. She said she backs the program because "it's allowed people who needed health insurance for a lot of years to get affordable insurance."
Curry said she also wants to protect Social Security.
"I definitely don't think it should be the age of 70 before someone can retire," she said.
Curry said she'll probably release details on her policy platform in the next two weeks.
"I want a little more time to do my research and address those issues," she said.
Curry was first elected to the Little Rock School Board in 2006 and served on the board until January, when the state Board of Education voted to take over control of the Little Rock School District and dissolved the board.
She was appointed to the Arkansas Division of Volunteerism by Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Republican, and reappointed by Gov. Mike Beebe, a Democrat. She has been involved with the Urban League of Little Rock and the Little Rock chapter of the NAACP, is a member of Union A.M.E. Church in Little Rock, and lives with her daughter and grandson.
In November, Hill defeated former North Little Rock Mayor Patrick Henry Hays, a Democrat, after then-Republican U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin of Little Rock decided to run for lieutenant governor.
Hill, 58, is a former banker. He was the founder and chairman of Delta Trust & Bank, and he served as senior policy adviser to President George H.W. Bush and deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Treasury.
Hill spokesman Michael Siegel referred calls about Curry's challenge to Hill campaign Chairman Judith Goodson, who could not be reached for comment by telephone early Wednesday evening.
In his latest campaign finance report, Hill reported his campaign had $374,879 in the bank as of June 30.
Isaac Foley, political director for the state Republican Party, said Hill "has worked tirelessly since being elected to represent the conservative values and ideals of Arkansas' Second Congressional District."
"Moving into the 2016 election season, the Republican Party looks forward to Congressman Hill's re-election, and his continued resolve to bring jobs and careers to hardworking Arkansans," Foley said in a written statement.
Metro on 08/27/2015