As the May 22 primary election draws near, Democratic voters in Arkansas House District 39 have a choice to make.
Monica Ball and Joshua Price are both looking to unseat Republican three-term incumbent Rep. Mark Lowery. Theirs is the only race in the state with two Democratic primary opponents running to fill a Republican seat.
Ball and Price are both long-time residents of Maumelle, which makes up the majority of District 39 (as well as Morgan, Levy, Amboy, Marche, Oak Grove and a part of Sherwood). Ball has lived in central Arkansas since 1978, and Price hails from the Delight/Antoine area in southwest Arkansas.
If elected, Ball would be the first woman to win the District 39 seat, and Price, who is half Filipino, would be the first Asian-American elected to the Arkansas General Assembly.
Ball is a recently retired school teacher; having taught science at various high schools in central Arkansas, including an eight-year stint at Little Rock’s Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School. Price runs public relations firm Hybrid Strategies, and previously worked with the Delta Regional Authority under Obama appointee Chris Masingill.
Click the link above to listen to a summary of the two candidates’ stance on various issues, including urban development, abortion rights, and raising the minimum wage in Arkansas.
Early voting is currently underway until May 21, with the primary election taking place on May 22.
