Once again, the rising stars are in a holding pattern, just waiting for their chance to jump up. Two top Dem stars are running against each other for AG, and the winner will run into one of the GOP's up-and-comers. GOPers avoided a primary of their own in that race, but the state party is full of lawyers itching to run for something. Once a few Congressmen decide to retire, look for some of these names to be the new blood on a plane to DC. And with the caliber of the GOP's next generation, Dems may have a difficult time holding on to the three seats currently in their hands. [REID WILSON]
The stars we've been watching since '03:
Marvin Childers (R): Ex-State Rep., '04 co-chair of GOP Victory Cmte. Decided against running for AG in '06. Now practicing law. "He may run for office in the future."
U.S. Atty Bud Cummins (R): "Still happy being U.S. Attorney, ... but he's a rising star."
Ex-State Sen. Gunner DeLay (R): Running for AG in '06.
Tom Gean (R): Ex-Western District U.S. Atty, now with Wal-Mart.
State Rep. Marvin Parks (R): Ran in '04 against Rep. Vic Snyder (D-02) and is now a CEO of a real estate company in Conway, AR. "There are rumors that Marvin could run for something in the future, but probably not in the short term."
State Sen. Shane Broadway (D): On the forefront of school funding and education issues. Once considered a possible candidate for LG, he decided against an '06 bid.
Michael Cook (D): After the incumbent AR Dem Chair lost a bid for re-election, Cook left the state party, where he'd served as Exec. Dir. Recently opened his own consulting firm, Cook Consulting, based in Little Rock.
State Rep. Sandra Prater (D): Still in the State House, one term to go.
State Sen. Tracy Steele (D): Sources say Steele, still a member of the State Senate, may run for Senate Majority Leader in the coming session. The incumbent leader was weakened after a closer-than-expected vote for Senate President Pro Tempore.
And the stars to watch in the future:
AR GOP Chair/State Sen. Gilbert Baker: "He's got a very bright future and he'll make a great candidate statewide, maybe in" AR 02 "at some point, I'd say in the near future."
State Sen. Shawn Womack (R): Potential future AR 01 candidate.
State Rep. Johnny Key (R): He's an "up and coming star."
State House Min. Leader Michael Lamoreux (R): He'll be "a great candidate in the future."
Ex-WH Dep. Pol. Dir./ex-RNC Dep. Research Dir. Tim Griffin (R): JAG lawyer based in DC, said to be interested in returning to AR to run for office. "He would be a good candidate."
AR Dem Chair Jason Willett: After beating an incumbent state party chair to become the youngest Dem chair in the nation, he opened up new Fayetteville office. Some think he could be a future nat'l party leader.
State Rep. Dustin McDaniel (D): First-term State Rep. from Jonesboro, running now for AG. Jonesboro. After his first year, was named one of the top ten legislators in the state by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
North Little Rock City Atty Paul Suskie: Candidate for AG in '06. "No matter what happens" in the AG's race, this is "not the last we're going to hear from either of these guys."
