LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Four Republican members of the U.S. House from Arkansas are facing challenges in this year’s election from Democratic rivals who are waging uphill battles to break the GOP’s stranglehold on the state’s federal delegation.

Republican U.S. Reps. Rick Crawford, French Hill, Steve Womack and Bruce Westerman are seeking re-election in the strong GOP state. Republicans have held every seat in the United States House and Senate since 2013.

District 1: Crawford faces Govens

Crawford, who has represented the 1st Congressional District since 2011, faces a challenge from Democratic candidate Rodney Govens. District 1 covers eastern Arkansas and includes the cities of Jonesboro, West Memphis and Helena-West Helena. Libertarian Steve Parsons is also running for the seat.

Crawford is a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee and said he will seek the top Republican seat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the next Congress.

Govens, a Cabot resident who worked in the telecommunications industry, called for improvements to the Veterans Administration and foster care systems across the country. Crawford said he wants to address the nation’s debt by enacting permanent spending controls.

District 2: Hill faces Jones

Hill, who was first elected to District 2 in 2014 and is vice chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, is running against Democratic incumbent Marcus Jones. The 2nd District seat covers central Arkansas and includes Little Rock.

Democrats have tried unsuccessfully in recent years try to recover district, hoping to build heavily on turnout in Little Rock despite the state’s continued slide to the right. The GOP-majority Legislature in 2021 drew redistricting lines, moving thousands of predominantly black voters out of the 2nd District.

Hill has focused heavily on immigration in his re-election bid, calling for more border security and measures he says will help fight inflation. Jones is a retired Army Colonel who served as the Senior Army Advisor to the Arkansas Army National Guard at Camp Robinson. Jones called for expanding the child tax credit and legislation to increase access to rural health care.

District 3: Womack faces Draper

Womack, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, was first elected to District 3 in 2010 and is running against Democrat Caitlin Draper, a clinical social worker from Fayetteville.

District 3 covers northwest Arkansas and includes the cities of Fayetteville, Springdale and Fort Smith.

Womack, the former chairman of the House Budget Committee, was the only member of the state House faces a primary challenge in March, defeating state Sen. Clint Penzo. Womack had the support of the state’s top Republicans in that contest, including GOP Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Womack has cited border security as a priority and said he believes he has the experience to find bipartisan solutions in a tightly divided Congress.

Draper, like other Democrats running for House seats in Arkansas, has said he supports federal legislation protecting access to abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade. She also said she cited climate change and health care as top issues.

Libertarian Bobby Wilson is also running for the seat.

District 4: Westerman faces Howard

Westerman, who chairs the House Natural Resources Committee, was first elected to District 4 in 2014. He is running against Risie Howard, a Pine Bluff attorney.

District 4 covers southern Arkansas and includes Pine Bluff, Hot Springs and Texarkana.

Westerman, a former state legislator and the only forester in the House, touted his work on forestry legislation and said his priorities in the next Congress also include energy and mining issues. Howard said he wants to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and protect Social Security.