Ark. man seeks post ceded over sex case

A former lawmaker who resigned after being accused of fondling a teenager was the only candidate to file for his old House seat Monday and will return to the Arkansas Legislature next year unless a write-in or third-party candidate successfully challenges him.

Former Rep. Roosevelt Dwayne Dobbins resigned and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor harassment in 2005 in a plea bargain reached after he was arrested on a felony sexual assault charge. The deal did not bar the North Little Rock Democrat from seeking elective office in the future, prosecutor Larry Jegley said.

The head of the state Democratic Party said he was actively seeking someone to run against Dobbins, who filed candidacy papers just before Arkansas' campaign filing season closed at noon Monday.

"In my opinion, he's not the kind of person who the Democratic Party and I, as chairman, can support to be a House member as a Democrat in the state of Arkansas," party chairman Bill Gwatney said.

Dobbins did not immediately return a call left at his home.

Republicans, Democrats and independents had until noon Monday to file candidacy papers, but the Green Party, which selects its nominees at a convention this summer, could field a candidate against Dobbins. A candidate also could run a write-in campaign by filing a notice with state and local election officials by Aug. 6, a spokeswoman for the Arkansas secretary of state said.

Democrats will seek a write-in candidate to run against Dobbins, said Bruce Sinclair, the party's state director.

House District 39 is currently represented by Dobbins' wife, Sharon, who won the seat in a special election after her husband's 2005 resignation and is not seeking another term.

According to prosecutors, Dwayne Dobbins had fondled a 17-year-old girl in 2004 while she was at a computer in his home doing her homework. Prosecutors said Dobbins had been a mentor to the girl.

Dobbins was sentenced to one year's probation, fined $1,000 and ordered to undergo counseling.

Jegley said he is appalled Dobbins is seeking public office again.

"I think it's stuff like this that makes people very cynical about the political process," he said.

Dobbins had to pay a filing fee to the Democratic Party to file candidacy papers; gathering signatures is the next step to appear on the ballot. Gwatney said he did not know until Monday that Dobbins was filing, and spent the final 90 minutes before the filing deadline trying to find a Democratic opponent to run against him.

(This version CORRECTS that a write-in candidate, not an independent candidate, can still seek the House seat).)