Just five years ago, Democrats held Arkansas's governorship, both its Senate seats, and three out of its four House seats. Today, Republicans hold all of these offices - a total shutout. In 2014, Democrats nominated personable and well-funded candidates in the 2nd and 4th CDs, only to watch both lose soundly. Arkansas may be past the point where Democrats are viable candidates for federal office. The irony here is that in 2011, Democrats still held the governorship and both houses of the legislature, and with them, the authority to redistrict. They could have revamped the state's map by creating one solidly Democratic black influence district linking Little Rock with the state's Delta region. But what party strategists in Washington wanted fell on deaf ears in Little Rock, and the result today is four safe Republican seats. AR-01: Rick Crawford (R) - East and northeast corner: Jonesboro Solid Republican. In 2010, Democrats expressed optimism they could hold this northeastern Arkansas seat after seven-term Blue Dog Rep. Marion Berry retired. They reasoned Crawford, a farm broadcaster who grew up in New Hampshire
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