Carr to run for second state House term

ROGERS — Rep. John Carr, R-Rogers, will run for a second term, he confirmed Thursday.

“It is truly an honor to serve the people of our great state,” Carr says in his announcement. “I will continue to dedicate myself to serving my constituents. Direct and personal relationships with my constituents allow me to be their voice on issues important to the district in Little Rock.”

His predecessor, Rep. Rebecca Petty, R- Rogers, endorsed Carr in the 2020 Republican primary, his first race. He is a member of the House City, County and Local Affairs Committee, the Public Transportation Committee and the Arkansas Legislative Council, a group of lawmakers who oversee state government between legislative sessions.

The district Carr is running to represent had its borders and its district number changed Monday. The state Board of Apportionment redraws legislative district boundaries every 10 years after each U.S. census with the goal of equalizing population among districts. The board consists of the sitting governor, attorney general and secretary of state.

The new House District 15 includes most of the city of Rogers that is in District 94, which Carr now represents. It no longer includes parts of Bentonville, however.

Carr works as a substitute teacher for ESS, a private company that contracts with school districts to provide such staff. Carr holds a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo., and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. He is a certified project management professional from the Project Management Institute.

House members run for two-year terms. Their base salary is $39,399 a year, not including per diem and expenses.

Candidate filing for partisan primaries begins Feb. 22 and ends March 1. Party primaries will be May 24.