Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Coulter Announces Plans for Senate

Saying he was a Democrat who will speak up for Arkansans living paycheck to paycheck, Nate Coulter announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate.

Coulter, 38, made announcements across the state Wednesday, Jan. 28.

He declared lessons learned in church, schools and libraries helped form his enduring commitment to politics and public service.

"I proudly stand here today, a product of these three institutions, to declare myself a candidate for the United States Senate," he said. "The values I've learned in my church, my schools and public libraries have equipped me to offer courageous and thoughtful leadership the future will require."

Coulter said he would focus during his campaign on tackling the rising cost of health care, fighting the high cost of post-high school education, preserving the environment and reforming the campaign system.

"Government can help parents prepare their children for the future by assuring all young people have financial means to pursue education beyond high school," he said.

He also called on his opponents to participate in televised debates in all four congressional districts. "Debates will confirm we all agree this office is not for sale to the highest bidder or a prize to be awarded to the candidate with the slickest soundbite."

Coulter recalled Gov. Mike Huckabee said, following the 1993 race for Lt. Governor, "Nate is bright and has a promising future in Arkansas." Said Coulter, "I'm going to do all I can to make him a prophet on that score."

Coulter was the Democratic Party's '93 Lt. Gov. nominee and was campaign manager for Sen. Dale Bumpers' 1992 reelection. He also worked for then-Gov. Bill Clinton and Sen. David Pryor.

An attorney and native of Nashville (Howard County), Coulter is married to Hope Norman Coulter, a fiction writer and college instructor. The two have three children, Caroline, 8, Nathan, 6, and Tom, 1. The Coulters are members of First United Methodist Church in Little Rock.

Coulter holds a bachelor's degree in history from Harvard College and is a 1985 Harvard Law School graduate.

Two other Democrats, former U.S. Rep. Blanche Lincoln Lambert and state rep. Scott Ferguson, have indicated they will also seek the party's nomination for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Dale Bumpers.

The primary is May 19.