Gilbert Baker: I Am Not Running For House

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As rumors continue to fly about whether he might drop his Senate bid for a run at the open 2nd district House seat this fall, Arkansas state Sen. Gilbert Baker (R) released a statement Tuesday reiterating his intention to unseat Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D) in November.

"I am not running for the House of Representatives," Baker said in his statement. "I am, and will be, a candidate for the United States Senate. ... This will not be an easy campaign. However, I am firmly committed to defeating Blanche Lincoln and I will stand up to Barack Obama's extreme agenda."

Baker has been viewed as the frontrunner in the nine-way GOP Senate primary but speculation that might drop down to the House race began after Arkansas Rep. John Boozman, the lone Republican in the state's Congressional delegation, acknowledged last week that he was openly considering entering the Senate race.

"This is something that for the last several weeks I've been thinking about," Boozman said Monday. He said that he planned on meeting with National Republican Senatorial Committee officials on Tuesday and that he'll make a final decision on the Senate race by Wednesday or Thursday.

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