A former Republican has switched parties to run for the Democrats in the 2026 midterm elections amid concerns over affordability.
Robb Ryerse is running against Republican incumbent Steve Womack in Arkansas's 3rd congressional district. He previously ran against Womack in the Republican primary in 2018.
Discussing his switch of parties, Ryerse said he had had "a political identity crisis" and had at times felt "politically homeless."
"I switched parties because I have shifted in my political beliefs over the years like a lot of people have, but party's not the most important thing to me. Serving the people of this district is," he told local news station 40/29 News on Monday.
...He added that locals had raised concerns about the economy, along with the price of food, healthcare and housing. "People are really nervous about the cost of living and how it's dramatically increased," he said.
He added that while the Trump administration had promised to deal with economic issues, "nothing has been done to bring down the cost of living."
It is not clear when Ryerse switched parties after running for the Republicans in 2023. According to his LinkedIn profile, he has been the executive director of Vortex PAC, a committee aimed at supporting Democrats in Arkansas, since February 2023.
Newsweek reached out to Ryerse by email for comment outside of normal business hours.
This is a developing story. More to follow.
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