SPRINGDALE -- Retired U.S. Navy Chaplin Steven Unger of Springdale is running in the special election to fill the vacancy in the state Senate District 7 seat, he announced Monday.
Unger, 63, is running as a Republican. He is the second candidate to announce for this race. Jim Bob Duggar of Tontitown, a former state representative, is also running in the Republican primary. Former Sen. Lance Eads, R-Springdale, resigned from the District 7 position on Oct. 28 to take a lobbying job.
Unger was born and raised in Springdale, his announcement said. He returned in 2016 after his Navy service. He has a bachelor's degree in public administration from the University of Arkansas, a master of divinity degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Mo., and a master's degree in military science from Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico, Va. He is active in local volunteer causes, according to his announcement.
Unger retired from the Navy after 31 years of active-duty service, retiring with the rank of captain, his announcement said. In the Navy, he served in various capacities including medic, surface warfare officer and chaplain. His family settled in Northwest Arkansas four generations ago in the 1870s, his announcement said.
Candidate filing in the special election's partisan primaries begins Monday and ends one week later. The primary is Dec. 14. The special election itself is set for Feb. 8.
State senators serve a four-year term and receive a base salary of $42,428. They also receive per diem and reimbursement for expenses.