Breaux announces run for state House

He joins another Republican in bid to replace Ballinger in District 97

A second Republican announced plans Monday to run for state House District 97, now held by state Rep. Bob Ballinger, R- Hindsville, who is eyeing the Senate.

Harlan Breaux, 70, a retiree and Vietnam War veteran living in Holiday Island, announced his campaign in a news release.

Later, in a telephone call with the Arkansas DemocratGazette, Breaux described himself as a “hard conservative” who wants to help veterans and senior citizens while cutting taxes and opposing abortion.

Another Republican, Gary Morris, also 70, of Sonora, told the newspaper in June he plans to run in the district, which encompasses parts of Washington, Madison and Carroll counties, including the town of Eureka Springs.

Both men said they would work to improve the region’s tourism economy centered around Eureka Springs.

Breaux — who once worked as a local historical tour guide, according to his campaign announcement — said he’d like to see more advertising promoting the area to out- of- state tourists.

Breaux also said he favored shrinking government and cutting income taxes.

Asked about specific plans for tax cuts, or plans for helping veterans and senior citizens, Breaux said he was still studying policy and developing details.

He spoke highly of Ballinger as “a godly man and someone that can be trusted,” and said he did not take issue with any of the three- term lawmaker’s votes.

However, Breaux said he would support Arkansas’ privateoption Medicaid expansion, a program that Ballinger was a frequent critic of.

“It sounds like a good thing right now,” Harlan said, when asked why he supported the program, which uses public dollars to purchase private insurance for people earning up to 138 percent of the poverty line.

Morris, the other Republican candidate, also said he would support keeping the Medicaid expansion program, which has divided GOP lawmakers in recent legislative sessions.

Ballinger, an attorney, has announced plans to run for the state Senate seat held by Sen. Bryan King, R- Green Forest, instead of running again in the House.

Breaux and his wife, Roxie, have a daughter. He worked for Alcoa Aluminum in Lake Charles, La., for 35 years before moving to Arkansas, according to his release.