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Parties come up empty on Dobbins challenger Thursday, Jun 19, 2008 Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - Finding an opponent for a former North Little Rock lawmaker trying to return to the legislative seat he resigned amid allegations he fondled a teenage girl is proving more easily said than done, political party officials said Wednesday. Former state Democratic Rep. Dwayne Dobbins emerged as the only candidate for his old House seat during the March filing period. Dobbins' wife, Sharon, did not seek re-election to the District 39 seat she won after her husband resigned in 2005 as part of a plea agreement on a misdemeanor harassment charge. No one else filed for the post. State Democratic Party officials have been seeking a write-in challenger and the Green Party of Arkansas hoped to nominate a candidate to oppose Dobbins, but so far neither has found a taker. Democratic Party spokeswoman Darinda Sharp said Wednesday a few write-in prospects have shown some interest but no one has committed. "They're still considering it and looking at the possibilities of what they want to do," Sharp said. Party officials still have some time. A prospective write-in candidate has until Aug. 6 to notify the secretary of state and the Pulaski County clerk. Meanwhile, the Green Party is heading into its nominating convention Saturday without a candidate to challenge Dobbins. The third party's state coordinator, Mark Jenkins, said party officials are hoping someone will show up at the convention. "I hate to think that people over there (in District 39) are so apathetic that they'll let a pedophile step into office with no opposition whatsover," Jenkins said. Interested parties need not be registered with the Green Party, Jenkins said, "they just have to be registered voters who live in that district and never have been convicted of a felony." Scott Miller of North Little Rock said he was one of several people the Green Party asked to run. "I was ... asked, and I told them no," said Miller, a candidate for City Council. "I'm a Democrat through and through. It was flattering to be considered, but it is still no." Smith also said he would not consider running as a write-in challenger to Dobbins. Dobbins was in his second term in the state House when he was charged with felony sexual assault after a woman reported he improperly touched her at her home in September 2004, when she was 17. He later pleaded guilty in Pulaski County Circuit Court to misdemeanor harassment and resigned from the Legislature as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. He was sentenced to a year's probation, fined $1,000 and ordered to undergo counseling. Dobbins could not be reached for comment Wednesday. A telephone number listed as his home phone was disconnected. ------- North Little Rock Times reporter Jeremy Peppas contributed to this report. |
