Primary Election Date: 05/22/2012
General Election Date: 11/06/2012

Who Am I?

Ken Aden, a native of Northwest Arkansas, believes it is time to put people first and politics last. He is the Democratic candidate for the Third Congressional District.

A former Staff Sergeant in the United States Army, Ken decided to run for Congress because he wants to serve his community and do his part to create jobs and revitalize the economy of the Third District.

While deployed in Iraq, Ken founded Citizens 4 Change Dayton in 2009, a non-profit founded upon the belief that people from every economic background and walk of life can come together in some small way to create for themselves a better community and neighborhood.

In 2010, following his service in the U.S. Army, Ken returned to Northwest Arkansas to help care for his grandparents and founded Residents 4 Arkansas based on the non-profit model in Ohio.

Originally from Pine Bluff and raised in Eastern Arkansas, Aden chose to pursue a career in the military after graduating high school.

During Ken’s service in the U.S. Army he was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division and the First Infantry Division in support of combat operations.

Aden has been awarded the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Achievement Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Multinational Force and Observers Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Parachutist Badge – among other medals, awards, and ribbons.

Ken has attended the University of Chicago and Mid-South Community College. He holds an AA from Arkansas State University.

Aden is a current member of the 82nd Airborne Association, the 1st Infantry Division Association, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Why Am I Running?

For too long, folks here in Northwest Arkansas have had a Congressman who has voted against our interests. Instead of working for job creation and improving the quality of life in our area, we've seen nothing more than blind adherence to the party line at the expense of working families.

It's time to change that, and that's why I am running for Congress.

As a longtime Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division, I learned a long time ago that the most important thing one person can do for another is to look out for their best interests. That is exactly what I intend to do as the next Congressman from Arkansas' 3rd District : look out for the best interests of the men, women, and families in Northwest Arkansas.

Through this campaign, I hope to engage and energize those in our district who have been left behind by politics as usual and decades of representation by Republicans more concerned with moving up the political ladder and adhering to the party line than actually helping the people of the district. I believe that, in order to bring about change, we must engage those who aren't regularly playing any role in the political process.

Once elected, I intend to work for the people of Arkansas' Third District, and serve as a voice for the people, bring new jobs to our district--particularly in the alternative energy sector, and bring a VA primary care clinic to Bentonville in our district.

Hold Me Accountable!

1.) Jobs & The Economy. The Third District needs jobs; unemployment rates in most of the counties in the district are high, and people are beginning to wonder if the economy here will ever turn around. But we don't just need any jobs here, we need good jobs with benefits that will help individuals here support their families and achieve the American Dream. This part of our state is prime territory for wind energy generation, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Although we're already building wind turbines in our district, we're shipping them off to places like Texas and Kansas and not actually harnessing wind power right here in our district to create jobs and produce energy. When I'm elected to Congress, I'll work with community leaders and business leaders in the alternative energy sector to help make wind power generation a reality in our part of the state. I also support the President's American Jobs Act, and believe that is a good start toward creating jobs in the district by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, and putting teachers and police officers back to work.

2.) Social Security & Medicare. The incumbent Congressman, Steve Womack (R-Rogers), is part of the "cut entitlements" crowd, and seniors and others in the district are fearful that they'll loose benefits as a result of his actions. I firmly believe that any cuts to Social Security and Medicare are criminal, and as a member of Congress I'll fight against them.

3.) Improving Conditions For Our Veterans. The Third District has a large number of veterans--from World War II, Vietnam, Korea, the first Gulf War, and the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. I'll work to increase the services available to veterans in the district--including bringing a VA Primary Care Clinic to Bentonville--and ensure that funding for programs that fund college educations for our veterans remain intact.

My DFA values:

Our campaign is a true grassroots effort. For the most part, we are powered by a dedicated group of volunteers, most of whom have never been a part of the political process before. One of the things that attracts folks to our campaign is that we're about people, and not politics as usual.

Our campaign is planning several large, grassroots organizing events across the district over the coming months to help engage people who believe they've been left behind by politics or that the political process has nothing to offer them. Those folks, by and large, adhere to the same values we do as Democrats. I believe that this campaign will help revitalize the Democratic Party her in Northwest Arkansas through this infusion of new blood.

My Campaign is People-Powered!

1.) A great example of how we're running a people-powered campaign is our volunteer base. We have volunteers from across the Third District who are playing key roles in our campaign. Knowing that reaching the people and defining a message that resonates with our base is more than just regurgitating tired talking points, our key volunteers have been a part of helping shape our messaging and issue positions.

2.) Folks from across the district are already going out on their own and helping spread the word about the campaign at community events, club meetings, and Democratic Party functions. While I'm actively campaigning, many of our volunteers are doing the same--and have been since day one.