Former NFL player challenging Boozman in Arkansas GOP primary

A former NFL player has announced that he’s challenging Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) in the state’s GOP primary.

Jake Bequette, who played football at the University of Arkansas, went on to win a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots and then joined the Army, made the announcement Monday.

“As an Army veteran, former NFL player, and Arkansas Razorback, I have lived my life with service and conservative values at the forefront,” Bequette says in his announcement video. “Now, I have a calling to do more. That is why I am running for the United States Senate.”

As an Army veteran, former NFL player, and Arkansas Razorback, I have lived my life with service and conservative values at the forefront.

Now, I have a calling to do more. That is why I am running for the United States Senate. Join my team here: https://t.co/Sb5kqWKhWU pic.twitter.com/ecxxwhsOWU

— Jake Bequette (@JakeBequette91) July 12, 2021

Bequette also uses his ad to take shots at what he calls the “radical socialists” taking over the Democratic Party, making the allegation while images of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y) flash on the screen. 

“What’s happening in Washington these days is a disgrace. Democrats have been taken over by radical socialists, and too many Republicans just go along to get along,” Bequette said. The former Razorback defensive lineman also cited abortion and immigration issues in the video.

Bequette joins a crowded primary of candidates seeking to challenge Boozman, who was elected in 2010 and reelected in 2016.

Boozman, also a University of Arkansas graduate, has been endorsed by former President Trump and has received support from fellow Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton (R) and former White House press secretary and Arkansas gubernatorial candidate Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R), according to The Associated Press. 

Bequette, who appeared in eight NFL games, told the newswire that it’s time for a change in Washington, referring to Boozman’s long tenure as a lawmaker. 

“He’s been in Washington for over 20 years. He’s going on his third decade in Washington, in the swamp,” Bequette said. “I just think it’s time for a change, it’s time for someone new.”