Arkansas - 2nd District

Central -- Little Rock

CQ Politics Race Rating: Leans Republican

Incumbent — Vic Snyder (D); Will retire at end of current term (announced Jan. 15, 2010)

Snyder was no shoo-in for re-election in what is shaping up as a challenging year for Democrats – especially in conservative-leaning districts such as Arkansas’ 2nd, which favored Republican presidential nominee John McCain by 54 percent to 44 percent for Democrat Barack Obama in 2008. But the Democrats’ risk of losing the seat appeared to spike higher on Jan. 15 when the seven-term incumbent, without warning, announced he would not run for re-election this year.

This urban district was, nonetheless, McCain’s least strong district among the four in a state that gave the GOP candidate 59 percent overall. And this may sustain the hopes of Democrats, as they search for a top-tier successor candidate, that they might be able to pull this seat back out of the fire by November.

Democrats in Washington were quick to float the names of Lt. Gov. Bill Halter as a possible candidate, and Halter indicated soon thereafter that he is considering the race. A Halter candidacy would be doubly good news for Democrats in Arkansas as he has been rumored to be mulling a primary challenge to Sen. Blanche Lincoln, who is facing a tough re-election battle of her own this fall.

But it appear a multi-candidate primary could be in the offing. State House Speaker Robbie Wills officially entered the race Jan. 27, joining state Sen. Joyce Elliott in the field. Other potential Democratic candidates include retired Gen. Wesley Clark, who sought the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination; Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola; state Public Service Commissioner Paul Suskie; and state Sens. Shane Broadway and Bob Johnson.

Snyder had faced a threatening challenge from a highly touted Republican candidate recruit, former U.S. Attorney Tim Griffin. Though Griffin begins the race without strong name recognition, his behind-the-scenes ties to Washington are likely to offer the challenger an inroad to D.C. support and funding. He formerly worked in the administration of President George W. Bush as an advisor to political adviser Karl Rove.

The timing might have been coincidental, but Snyder’s retirement announcement came the same day as the release of a poll that showed him trailing Griffin by a wide margin.

Democrats, however, contend that those same Bush-Rove connections could rebound against Griffin in a district that Democrat Bill Clinton called home during his long tenure as governor and which now includes his presidential library.

Although Griffin hadn’t attracted serious competition for the May 18 primary. The only other candidates currently in the race are insurance executive David Meeks and restaurateur Scott Wallace. But the contest might draw additional Republican candidate interest now that it’s for a open seat.

Republicans long argued that Snyder was vulnerable, portraying him as too liberal for a district that has an overall Republican lean. But Snyder, a physician and Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War, built a solid following. He reached the height of political security in 2008 – what will turn out to be his final House election – when the Republicans failed to field any candidate against him, and he defeated a Green Party candidate with more than three-quarters of the total vote.

Race Information

• Incumbent: Vic Snyder, D
• First Elected: 1996 (7th term)
• Last Elected: 2008 (76.54%)
• Incumbent Status: Will retire at end of current term (announced Jan. 15, 2010)
• CQ Politics Race Rating: Leans Republican

District Information

Politics in America District Profile

Demographics (2000 census)

Population: 666,058

Under 18: 25.2%

Over 65: 12.2%

Married: 56.9%

Non-Hispanic White: 76%

Black: 19%

Hispanic: 2%

Asian: 1%

Foreign Born: 2.6%

Language other than English: 4.9%

Median Household Income: 37,221

Owner Occupied Housing: 67.1%

Income above $200k: 1.7

Workforce/Education (2000 census)

White Collar: 60.5%

Blue Collar: 25.6%

Services: 13.9%

Bachelor's Degree: 23%

Graduate Education: 8.1%

Civilian Veterans: 72,538