Rep. Kim Hammer, R-Benton, is challenging Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, R-Little Rock, in 2018.
Hammer said Monday that he's going to run for the Senate District 33 seat held by Hutchinson because it's "the right time" to run.
Hutchinson later said he plans to run for re-election in 2018.
Hutchinson said Hammer told him that "he just wants to be in the Senate, and I take him at his word. He's a friend, and I hate to run against him, but that's the nature of politics."
Senate District 33 includes parts of Saline and Pulaski counties. House District 28 includes Benton and central Saline County.
"I am not in it for a political career and, if you feel convicted to do something, you kind of throw out all the rational reasons out the window and just go with your heart and your gut and what think you are supposed to do," Hammer said.
"As far as our voting record, you can put them side by side and there are going to be some similarities and there are going to be some differences," the representative said in an interview, declining to point any out. "I think probably where I have strong characteristics is [being] very responsive to the needs of my constituents and ... I try to be very prompt about getting those met."
Hutchinson said he doesn't have any apologies to make about providing help to his constituents, saying he would pit his record of constituent service against any other lawmaker.
Hammer said he is "very heavily involved" in Saline County, "but respectful that this is also a west Pulaski [County] seat of which I have some interests in west Pulaski because I own property close to it, so I am sensitive to what goes on there. It is a heavily Saline County-favored seat, and I think I have proven myself as far as being a representative that is strong to the interests of Saline County."
Hutchinson said he and Hammer have "two very different styles," and that he has been far more effective than Hammer based on the number of bills enacted into law and chairing legislative committees.
But Hutchinson, an attorney, said, "I'm not [former Democratic state Sen.] Shane Broadway, who managed to attend every event. Neither is Kim Hammer. I have kids and a law practice."
Hammer, 58, has served in the House since 2011 and is co-chairman of the Legislative Council's Joint Performance Review Subcommittee. He is a chaplain at Saline Memorial Hospice and a pastor at Saline Baptist Church in Tull.
Hutchinson, 42, has been in the Senate since 2011 and chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee. He served in the House of Representatives from 2001-2007. Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson is Jeremy Hutchinson's uncle.
Hammer said he's announcing his intention to run for Senate District 33 now partly because he wants any potential Senate candidates to know his plan to seek the seat. The announcement also gives several people interested in running for the House District 28 seat plenty of time to review whether they want to run for it. He said he told Jeremy Hutchinson of his plans.
Hutchinson said it's probably premature to announce for the Senate with the presidential race up for grabs and Republican U.S. Sen. John Boozman seeking re-election. The senator said he's working to make sure Republicans get re-elected to the Legislature.
So far, Sen. Jason Rapert, R-Bigelow, and Republican Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin are the only two state officials who have filed campaign finance reports about raising funds for re-election in 2018, according to a search through the secretary of state's website. Sen. Bill Sample, R-Hot Springs, has filed a report on his campaign carryover funds for the 2018 election, and he said Monday that he plans to run for re-election in 2018.
Metro on 10/04/2016