There’s something happening here. Joyce Elliott kicked off her campaign for U.S. Congress on Thursday.

Elliott pledged to put Arkansas first, “It matters if we have people in Washington who believe we can have a world class healthcare system and a world class education system right here in Arkansas. It matters if we have people in Washington who believe in the future of Arkansas. It matters who we have in Washington.”

Elliott is a retired educator from the small town of Willisville in southwest Arkansas. She currently serves in the Arkansas Legislature as a state Senator representing portions of Little Rock. Elliott’s legislative victories have helped improve education and healthcare in communities all across Arkansas.

She has championed public schools and programs to address dyslexia in schools of every size. Elliott has supported making healthcare more affordable and accessible, helping secure healthcare for more than 300,000 working Arkansans. When elected, Elliott will become the first African-American in the state’s history to serve in the United States Congress.

Elliott pledged to run a bold campaign, leaving no stone unturned, “Unlike my opponent, I will hold a town hall in every county in this district.” The Second Congressional District includes Conway, Faulkner, Perry, Pulaski, Saline, Van Buren, and White counties.

Arkansas needs representatives who will vote to make healthcare more affordable and accessible — not someone who votes to take it away and lets costs spiral out of control.

Arkansas’s public education system, including higher education, needs to be strengthened and prioritized — not allowed to lag behind the rest of the country or result in a lifetime of debt.

Arkansas families deserve to be paid a living wage for their hard work and have solid career prospects — not to be disrespected by economic and tax policies designed to maximize benefits for the already-wealthy.

Donate to the Democratic Party of Arkansas to help us support Joyce’s election — or volunteer!