Congressman Mike Ross Reflects on 12-Year-Career Before Moving On
By: Matt Porter, KARK 4 News
Updated: August 7, 2012
Congressman Mike Ross was elected to the US House of Representatives 12 years ago, but now the lawmaker says he's ready to move on.
The Congressman says it's been a privilege to work for Arkansas' fourth district in Washington DC.
For him, the best part of the job was being a direct advocate for the people of Arkansas.
"Whether it's a veteran, helping a veteran get the services that they've earned. Whether it's helping a senior citizen that's having issues with medicare billing or with their social security check," says the Congressman.
Not all of Ross's duties have been routine, however.
In his first year, after the September 11 attacks, he had to make a call to the mother of a navy petty officer from Pine Bluff that died in the Pentagon.
"Picking up the phone and calling his mom was one of the toughest things I've ever done," Ross recalls.
Now, the Congressman says the constant push to raise campaign dollars every two years has taken its toll.
"I loved getting out seeing the people but I never enjoyed calling people and asking them for money."
In committee rooms, Ross reached across the aisle to Republicans to find compromises like the first minimum wage increase in a decade and a modernized GI bill. People who work for Ross say he's resisted an increasing partisan attitude.
"He's just got a great reputation for being somebody that is willing to compromise and is willing to come to some sort of middle ground on challenges that we face," says Chief-of-Staff Jarrod Yates.
Despite an 18 point win last election, Ross says he's ready to pass the torch:
"I never believed that my service in Congress should become a permanent career, I think that's part of the problem. Some people come, and stay too long."
The Congressman says it was a privilege to serve Arkansans in Washington, but he's ready to go back home.
Congressman Mike Ross's new job will be in Little Rock for the Southwest Power Pool, a nonprofit committed to managing the electric grid for nine states, including Arkansas.
The Congressman says it's been a privilege to work for Arkansas' fourth district in Washington DC.
For him, the best part of the job was being a direct advocate for the people of Arkansas.
"Whether it's a veteran, helping a veteran get the services that they've earned. Whether it's helping a senior citizen that's having issues with medicare billing or with their social security check," says the Congressman.
Not all of Ross's duties have been routine, however.
In his first year, after the September 11 attacks, he had to make a call to the mother of a navy petty officer from Pine Bluff that died in the Pentagon.
"Picking up the phone and calling his mom was one of the toughest things I've ever done," Ross recalls.
Now, the Congressman says the constant push to raise campaign dollars every two years has taken its toll.
"I loved getting out seeing the people but I never enjoyed calling people and asking them for money."
In committee rooms, Ross reached across the aisle to Republicans to find compromises like the first minimum wage increase in a decade and a modernized GI bill. People who work for Ross say he's resisted an increasing partisan attitude.
"He's just got a great reputation for being somebody that is willing to compromise and is willing to come to some sort of middle ground on challenges that we face," says Chief-of-Staff Jarrod Yates.
Despite an 18 point win last election, Ross says he's ready to pass the torch:
"I never believed that my service in Congress should become a permanent career, I think that's part of the problem. Some people come, and stay too long."
The Congressman says it was a privilege to serve Arkansans in Washington, but he's ready to go back home.
Congressman Mike Ross's new job will be in Little Rock for the Southwest Power Pool, a nonprofit committed to managing the electric grid for nine states, including Arkansas.
