Prosecuting Attorney Larry Jegley formally announced today that he’d seek another term as prosecutor for Pulaski and Perry counties, a job he’s held for 19 years.

He said the announcement is being made early because of speculation that he might retire or seek another office.  Jegley got encouragement to run for a seat on the Arkansas Supreme Court, but he told me weeks ago he didn’t plan to do so. He said in a release:

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I certainly did not intend to announce my 2018 re-election bid this early. However there has been a great deal of speculation about my future plans, especially retirement. After numerous people approached me I decided I needed to clarify my plans. At this time it is my intention to run for another term. I really enjoy my job and am in good health. Being Prosecuting Attorney allows me to train and work with our young attorneys. I like the fact that I can help make our communities safer by getting dangerous people off the streets and provide justice for victims and their families. I hope the people of the 6th Judicial District will have the confidence in me to allow me to serve another term.

Jegley led the association of state prosecutors in their successful campaign to get the independent state pay commission to lift the pay of most prosecutors by 22 percent, to $152,000, or 95 percent of the pay of circuit judges.

SPEAKING OF THE ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT: There’s at least some talk of potential candidates to oppose Judge Shawn Womack, the Mountain Home Republican best known for wanting higher judicial pay and prejudice against gay people. Womack is so far the only announced candidate for the seat to be vacated by retiring Justice Paul Danielson. One name being mentioned is Circuit Judge Carlton Jones of Texarkana, a former prosecutor. He’s got a pretty good campaign angle in the letter we uncovered yesterday in which Womack begged off assignment to a robbery case because of his lack of criminal experience.

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