SPRINGDALE -- Northwest Arkansas' 3rd District seat in the U.S. House could have its first contested Republican primary in eight years.
Pastor and political newcomer Robb Ryerse, 42, of Springdale, confirmed Wednesday he plans to challenge Rep. Steve Womack of Rogers, an incumbent serving his fourth term, in the 2018 GOP primary.
Ryerse is a founder and co-pastor of Vintage Fellowship in Fayetteville, a nondenominational church. He is also "a lifelong Republican," and an employee of 3 Tier Logic, a custom digital marketing company based in Vancouver, British Columbia, he said. He and his wife, Vanessa, have four children and have lived in Northwest Arkansas for 12 years, he said.
"In the days following the last election, I was having a lot of conversations about it and then, one day, realized it was all the same conversation over and over," Ryerse said Wednesday. "It was all about the direction the country was going and the tone of that last election." Ryerse described the tone as "toxic."
Ryerse became involved with the group "Brand New Congress," which supports candidates in both Democratic and Republican primaries. The group's goal, Ryerse said, "is to find candidates who will at least talk to each other and try to find solutions."
One factor in his decision to run was the U.S. House passing its most recent health care bill, Ryerse said. "The bill would kick thousands and thousands of Arkansans off of health coverage," he said. Womack voted for the bill, saying health reform was vital and the current system is headed for collapse. Womack has been a consistent opponent of the Obamacare health care program since elected to Congress in 2010.
Ryerse is the second major party candidate to announce against Womack this month, and Womack's first GOP primary challenger since the congressman first ran for the seat in 2010. Womack is a former mayor of Rogers in one of the safest GOP House seats in the country. The Republicans have held the 3rd District since 1969. Womack won his last race against a Democratic opponent, in 2010, with 70 percent of the vote.
Joshua Mahony of Fayetteville announced last week that he also will oppose Womack's re-election. Mahony is running as a Democrat and is the head of a scholarship fund.
NW News on 05/18/2017