Maureen Skinner of Conway, a Democrat, says she is seeking the state Senate seat held by Bigelow Republican Jason Rapert. Skinner, a licensed psychological examiner, filed a campaign finance report for her Senate campaign in April 2017.

A political newcomer, Democrat Maureen Skinner of Conway, said she is challenging Sen. Jason Rapert, R-Bigelow, in the 2018 election.

Skinner, who filed a campaign finance report for Senate District 35 on Monday with the secretary of state's office, said this week that she decided earlier this year to run for elected office for the first time because she feels that the Republican-dominated Legislature "is going in the wrong direction." She stopped short of criticizing Rapert.

She said she wants to work on repealing the "ridiculous gun bill" that allows concealed-weapon permit holders with up to eight hours of extra training to carry their guns on public college campuses and into many other public buildings.

She also said she wants to expand opportunities for public schools. Skinner said she also would like to provide "equal protection" for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, queer, intersex and asexual -- and make sure Arkansans have the necessary health care through the state's Medicaid expansion.

Skinner said she is a licensed psychological examiner who has lived in Conway for about a year and a half and previously resided in Fox in Stone County, where she graduated from high school.

Rapert, who has served in the Senate since 2011, said Thursday that he doesn't know anything about Skinner and hasn't met her. He said he's proud to call Conway and Faulkner County home since 1990 and to be elected to the state Senate three times and "looks forward to representing the district for many years in the future."

In this year's regular legislative session, Rapert voted for the bill allowing concealed-weapon permit holders to carry guns in many public facilities. He also voted to reauthorize the use of federal and state funds for the state's Medicaid expansion, which is used to pay for private insurance for low-income Arkansans.

The House fell one vote short of approving Rapert's resolution urging Congress to propose a U.S. constitutional amendment that would define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

Senate District 35 consists of most of Faulkner County, including all of Conway and part of Vilonia but not Greenbrier, as well as a sliver of Perry County in the Toad Suck area.

Metro on 04/14/2017