Clarke Tucker

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Clarke Tucker

| image = Clarke_Tucker_High_Resolution.jpg

| state_senate1 = Arkansas

| district1 = 14th

| prior_term1 = (Previously 32nd District)

| term_start1 = January 11, 2021

| term_end1 =

| predecessor1 = Will Bond

| successor1 =

| state_house2 = Arkansas

| district2 = 35th

| term_start2 = January 2015

| term_end2 = January 2019

| predecessor2 = John Charles Edwards

| successor2 = Andrew Collins

| birth_name = Everett Clarke Tucker IV

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|1|20}}

| birth_place = Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Democratic

| spouse = Toni Leigh Register

| children = 2

| education = Harvard University (BA)
University of Arkansas (JD)

| website =

}}

Everett Clarke Tucker IV (born January 20, 1981){{Cite web|url=https://insideelections.com/news/article/candidate-conversation-clarke-tucker-d|title = Candidate Conversation - Clarke Tucker (D)}}{{cite web |url=https://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2017/10/11/clarke-tucker-writes-of-recent-cancer-treatment-and-good-prognosis |title=Clarke Tucker writes of recent cancer treatment and good prognosis |author=Brantley, Max |work=Arkansas Times |date=October 11, 2017 |accessdate=December 24, 2017}} is an American attorney and Democratic politician from Central Arkansas. He served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019, and currently serves in the Arkansas Senate since January 2021. In 2018, he unsuccessfully challenged incumbent French Hill to represent Arkansas's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.

Early life and education

Tucker was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and attended Little Rock Central High School, where he played baseball and was elected student body president. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in government from Harvard University in 2003, followed by a J.D. degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 2006, where he was the editor-in-chief of the Arkansas Law Review.{{cite web|url=http://www.arkansashouse.org/district/35|title=Clarke Tucker|publisher=Arkansas House of Representatives|accessdate=October 15, 2016}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.clarketucker.com/about/|title=Meet Clarke Tucker|access-date=2018-08-03|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804015828/http://www.clarketucker.com/about/|archive-date=2018-08-04|url-status=dead}}{{primary source inline|date=September 2018}}

After law school, Tucker served for two years as a clerk for Judge James Leon Holmes in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. He entered private practice at Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull in Little Rock, specializing in commercial litigation, while also teaching at the William H. Bowen School of Law as an adjunct professor.{{Cite news|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Clarke_Tucker|title=Clarke Tucker - Ballotpedia|access-date=2018-08-03|language=en-US}} Tucker was chairman of the board for the Pulaski County Imagination Library, a free book-gifting program for children from birth to age five.{{Cite web|url=http://www.pcaril.org/|title=Pulaski County Imagination Library|website=www.pcaril.org|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-06}}{{failed verification|date=September 2018}}

Arkansas House of Representatives

First elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives in 2014, Tucker represented the 35th District, which includes part of Little Rock and greater Pulaski County, until 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.arkansasbusiness.com/people/lists/profile/1079/clarke-tucker|title=Clarke Tucker - 40 Under 40 - 2015 {{!}} Arkansas Business News {{!}} ArkansasBusiness.com|website=www.arkansasbusiness.com|language=en|access-date=2018-08-03}}

2018 U.S. House campaign

{{main|2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Arkansas#District 2}}

Tucker announced his candidacy for the U.S. House in Arkansas's 2nd congressional district on February 5, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2018/02/05/rep-clarke-tucker-announces-race-for-french-hills-2nd-district-congressoinal-seat|title=Rep. Clarke Tucker announces race for French Hill's 2nd District congressional seat|author=Brantley, Max|newspaper=Arkansas Times|date=February 5, 2018|accessdate=May 13, 2018}} A cancer survivor, Tucker said that "healthcare is really the issue that pushed me into the race."{{Cite news|url=http://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/interview-arkansas-state-rep-clarke-tucker-decision-run-congress|title=INTERVIEW: Arkansas State Rep. Clarke Tucker On Decision To Run For Congress|last=Hibblen|first=Michael|access-date=2018-08-06|language=en}} He secured the Democratic nomination on May 22, 2018, receiving 58% of the vote against three opponents in the primary election.{{Cite web|url=http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/AR/74831/Web02-state.203322/#/|title=Election Night Reporting|website=results.enr.clarityelections.com|language=en|access-date=2018-08-03}}

Tucker raised over $500,000 in the first fundraising quarter of 2018.{{Cite news|url=http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2018/apr/17/hill-tucker-rake-in-cash-in-house-race--1/|title=U.S. Rep. French Hill, Democrat Clarke Tucker rake in cash in Arkansas House race|date=2018-04-17|work=Arkansas Online|access-date=2018-08-03|language=en}} He was included on the New Democrats PAC watch list. The PAC's watch list supports candidates with a $1,000 campaign contribution, but it does not function as a full PAC endorsement.{{Cite news|url=https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/new-democrats-pac-adds-11-watch-list|title=New Democrats' PAC Adds 11 to Watch List|last1=Pathé|first1=Simone|date=2018-06-14|work=Roll Call|access-date=2018-08-03|last2=Pathé|first2=Simone|language=en}} The New Democrats PAC is the political arm of the New Democrat Coalition. Tucker's sources of funds led with large individual contributions, followed by small individual contributions, and lastly, political action committee (PAC) contributions.{{Cite news|url=https://www.opensecrets.org/races/candidates?cycle=2018&id=AR02&spec=N|title=Arkansas District 02 2018 Race|work=OpenSecrets|access-date=2018-08-03|language=en}} In the summer of 2018, Tucker's campaign was added to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's (DCCC) Red to Blue program. The Red to Blue program, sponsored by the campaign arm of the congressional Democrats, targeted Republican-held seats in districts won by Donald Trump in 2016 that could be considered competitive or ultimately flipped. To qualify for DCCC support, a candidate's campaign must demonstrate the capacity to surpass fundraising goals, grassroots engagement, local support, and campaign organization.{{Cite news|url=https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/dccc-adds-five-candidates-red-blue-program|title=DCCC Adds Five More Candidates to Red to Blue Program|last1=Pathé|first1=Simone|date=2018-04-18|work=Roll Call|access-date=2018-08-03|last2=Pathé|first2=Simone|language=en}}

Personal life

Tucker and his wife, Toni, live in Little Rock with their two children.{{cite web|url=http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2014/08/25/state-rep-candidate-clarke-tucker-opposition-research-regarding-his-four-year-old-sons-application-to-pre-k-by-stacy-hurst-is-completely-un|title=State rep candidate Clarke Tucker: opposition research regarding his 4-year-old son's application to pre-k by Stacy Hurst is "completely unacceptable"|author=Ramsey, David|publisher=Arkansas Times|date=August 25, 2014|accessdate=October 15, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/150292/clarke-tucker#.WAL5uaOZP6Y|title=Clarke Tucker's Biography|publisher=Project VoteSmart|accessdate=October 15, 2016}} Tucker was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2017. It was successfully treated via chemotherapy and surgery, and in late 2017 Tucker announced that he was cancer-free.{{cite web|url=https://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2017/10/11/clarke-tucker-writes-of-recent-cancer-treatment-and-good-prognosis|title=Clarke Tucker writes of recent cancer treatment and good prognosis|author=Brantley, Max|date=October 11, 2017|work=Arkansas Times|accessdate=December 24, 2017}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2018/04/29/clarke-tucker-tells-personal-cancer-story-in-new-ad-promises-to-stand-up-to-anyone-in-congress-who-tries-to-take-your-health-insurance|title=Clarke Tucker tells personal cancer story in new ad, promises to stand up to anyone in Congress "who tries to take your health insurance"|last=Ramsey|first=David|work=Arkansas Times|access-date=2018-08-01|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180728050029/https://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2018/04/29/clarke-tucker-tells-personal-cancer-story-in-new-ad-promises-to-stand-up-to-anyone-in-congress-who-tries-to-take-your-health-insurance|archive-date=2018-07-28|url-status=dead}}