No, not for U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln’s seat.
Blytheville Mayor Barry Harrison (pictured) is just about officially in the Democratic primary race to succeed term-limited state Sen. Steve Bryles.
This is the race where a previously announced candidate, retired Judge David Burnett of Osceola, has drawn deserved criticism for continuing to hear appeals in the West Memphis Three murder case while being an announced candidate for public office. Judicial ethics would prohibit a judge from doing this normally, but Burnett is retired and serving as a special judge on this case, which exempts him from the rule that requires judicial resignation when seeking another public office. He’s also been doing a pretty good job of demonstrating his lack of judiciousness. And the WM3 case isn’t the only one Burnett continues to hear. He’s also presiding over an appeal — on ground of ineffective counsel — of a death sentence given before then-active Judge Burnett to an 18-year-old defendant who represented himself and argued for the death penalty.
Harrison’s news release: