U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor has a few more votes to cast, but he’ll soon be heading home to Arkansas for work as yet unknown. One thing about his future IS known, however. A friend tells me Pryor became engaged to marry Joi Whitfield Monday night in Washington.

If a date has been set, it wasn’t part of the message I received.

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Pryor has been dating Whitfield for some time. He referenced her in his farewell speech this week. 

GOD has also brought an old sweetheart back into my life – Joi – with whom I attended the 6th and 7th grades. So, when I say GOD has brought me joy, I mean it! Literally. 

Pryor, having met Whitfield in elementary school, also dated her in college. She’s a rental property owner and manager in Central Arkansas. Pryor had two children with his first wife, Jill, from whom he was divorced in 2012. After 12 years in the Senate, he was defeated for re-election by Tom Cotton this year.

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Peter Urban of Stephens Media followed up on the report this morning:

“I asked her right after dinner,” Pryor said. “I brought the ring with me to Washington on this trip. She is up here visiting, so I kind of felt I would do that this week and see if she will take a chance on me.”

No date set.

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