GRAVETTE — Throughout the summer, Kim Hendren's apparent indecision about whether to run for the U. S. Senate has been more apparent than real.

The Gravette Republican said in April he intended to challenge U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-AR, who is seeking a third term in the Senate .

Later Hendren said he was only "testing the waters" for a possible candidacy and had not filed the papers required to become an official candidate.

An Arkansas Democrat-Gazette story published last Wednesday, in which Hendren said he's running, really didn't change things but filing papers, when he does that, will change his status with the Federal Election Commission and with the body to which he hopes to get elected, Hendren said.

"Nothing's changed. I have the papers ready to file. I may go ahead and file those....it's (filed with) the Federal Election Commission and the secretary of the Senate, he said. "All this goes with, what does that mean with the feds when you say I am officially a candidate? I think what I need to do is just quit worrying about that and file these papers. So what I'll do...... unless I change my mind....... I'm going to mail those papers tomorrow," Hendren said.

Opinion, Pages 4 on 09/16/2009