Friday, May 27, 2005

Lt. Gov. Race to Tar the Top of the Ticket?

By Andrew Pritt (Click comments below to read article).

45 Comments:

Blogger Mark Moore (Moderator) said...

Editor's Note: Mr. Pritt approached me saying he was a liberal Christian and asked if there was room on the blog for someone of his viewpoint. I told him the Democrat-Gazette and the Morning News already cover that alleged ground, but why not try some guest columns and see if it turns into a regular contribution.
*******************************

Song of Solomon 2:15 says, "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes."

Foxes sometimes in search of food enter into the grape orchards and devour the grapes and spoil the crop. However, the little foxes are too small to reach the grape bunches so they chew on the vines and it in turn kills the whole vine. Instead of the farmer just losing his crop, he loses his vine which is more disastrous.

Today, the two main political parties are facing the same problem, and the question bears asking, which little fox will kill the vine.

In the Republican primary, there is already a titanic struggle between two scions of Arkansas political families, former U.S. Congressman and Bush Cabinet official, Asa Hutchinson, and Lt. Governor Win Paul Rockefeller.

But the little fox for the Hutchinson/Rockefeller candidacies is their potential running mates, State Senator Jim Holt, Jr., pastor Jim Lagrone, or former U.S. Attorney Chuck Banks. The nomination of any of these three, threatens to derail the whole message of a Rockefeller or Hutchinson candidacy.

If Holt is nominated, the media is sure to pay attention to Holt's recent legislation classifying what state services are afforded to whom and under what criteria. Those in the press with a liberal slant, will classify, as they already have, that Holt is a modern day racist, in league with Jim Johnson, Orval E. Faubus, or Amis Guthridge. Those who are conservative more so will argue the merits and justification of the bill.

If Lagrone is nominated, his embrace of rather extreme pro-2nd Amendment interpretations and the embattled former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, who is prominently displayed on his website with Lagrone, will then set voters questioning the appeal of someone a heartbeat away from the Governorship who is not in league with a majority of Arkansans. Also the question of the separation of Church and State will be resurrected.

If Banks is nominated, aside from the fact that the last time he sought office, Ronald Reagan was in his first term, his tenure as U.S. Attorney will come to light. Specifically, the investigation of Whitewater and Bank's inability to find evidence to proceed with an investigation, when fellow Arkansan Kenneth Starr later could, will prove indeed painful. Couple Banks on a ticket with Hutchinson who led the charge for impeachment and suddenly the battle becomes one, once more over of the Pro and Anti Bill Clinton camps.

Whose left???

So far, just State Representative Doug Matayo. But Matayo and Holt are from the same hometown and even the same church.

Do they cancel each other out???

This also muddles the message and these small foxes mentioned, if they win, will wither the vine of a message the Arkansas Republican Party may wish to advance about tax cuts and job creation.

However, the Democrats, in the same race, have the same problem. Attorney General Mike Beebe fits the mold of a giant killer like Dale Bumpers, David Pryor, or Bill Clinton. He has a solid legislative record, an understanding of state government, and an impressive twenty-four years in office. Also, as Dale Bumpers still carries the title of going throughout a whole career undefeated, Beebe now challenges him with one greater....a whole career uncontested.

But, there are those little foxes, once more, State Senator Tim Woolridge and State Representative Mike Hathorn.

If Woolridge wins, there will be a continued discussion of Woolridge's assertion that Jesus Christ is a Democrat. Not withstanding the fact that the nearest government structure the Kingdom of God is based upon is a benevolent monarchy, Woolridge's fumbling of why he stated this belief leaves Republicans, and Democrats alike, baffled and in disagreement Woolridge also hails from the same corner of the state as Beebe, one of the Attorney General candidates, two of the other Lt. Governor candidates, and two of the State Treasurer candidates. Also, some prominent Woolridge supporters have asserted in other blogs recently that South Arkansas is a nonfactor, and that North Arkansas is where the votes lay. This is obviously fear that a South Arkansas opponent threatens their hold on a primary win and creates regional animosity.

If Hathorn wins, there will be questions raised about his recent divorce. Divorce is a painful subject. No matter how much the societal norm it has become, or the desire it be kept private, Hathorn who is one of the most likable politicians around will face these questions. These moral questions will lead to others. Also, Hathorn hails from Orval Faubus's old county, Madison County. Hathorn, who has been called the new Boy Wonder of the Democratic Party of Arkansas, will indeed be a wonder if he can compete and deliver big votes for the ticket, with the potential presence of Hutchinson on the other side of the aisle. Our guess is this won't happen.

This leaves the potential candidacies of Star City Mayor Gene Yarbrough, Dr. Scott Ferguson, a former State Representative, and schoolteacher, Steve Breedlove, to be reckoned with.

So these issues arise and they cloud Beebe's message of strengthening education, job creation, and better access to health care for all Arkansans. Beebe could capitalize on a divided Republican Party after the impending struggle between Hutchinson and Rockefeller, provided Beebe continues to go uncontested and stay on message. But there is the danger one of the two little foxes will get in and wither the vine, before Election Day.

With 500 days to go, till the political harvest, much can and will happen.

All we have to rely on is the promise found in the book of Galatians.

"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another" (Galatians 5:13)

May all our elected officials heed this call and work, with us the citizens of Arkansas, for the greater good. Also, at the ballot box, let us work to keep the little foxes out of the political process.

9:06 PM, May 27, 2005  
Blogger terrymcdermott said...

I know I will be voting and supporting Jim Holt for Lt. Governor.

4:27 PM, May 28, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Terry,
We have found something we cn agree on.

10:41 AM, May 29, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Senator Holt is a good man, though many in my party would tar me to utter such words. I hope this commentary does not leave that impression that morally or even experience wise. Its written from the perspective of a political strategist, which I am.

I will be supporting Gene Yarbrough, the Mayor of Star City. I hope you will look at him, pray about his candidacy, and give him equal consideration.

Thanks for reading my column.

11:52 PM, May 29, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I like Gene Yarbrough. We have had a Republican for Lt. Governor the past ten years come 2006. Its time for a change. Also a Democrat with solid values can work better with a Democratic-controlled state legislature, than a Republican can.

9:48 AM, May 30, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The liberal legislators don't need to be "worked with". They need to be stopped.

7:38 PM, May 30, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Just a few thoughts and corrections. Why is the president of the Eagle Forum (big Holt supporters in 2004) thinking of running for light gov.? Is it because Mr. Holt has a record that shows nothing of importance accomplished? As for senate bill 206 what does it effect Nothing because it is not law what would it have effected nothing except pre-natal care. I’m pro-life so that will not fly with me. Mr. Holt has not passed one bill of importance while serving Can anyone tell me of one other then reporting once every three months instead of yearly. As far has I know Mr. Holt does not attend Fellowship Bible of Lowell, so he does not attend the same church has Mr. Matayo.

10:21 AM, May 31, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

MR HOLT LOST HIS HOME COUNTY IN THE SENATE RACE

10:23 AM, May 31, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am beginning to think that truth teller is a minion of one of the Lt. Governor's candidacies who is just trying to create controversy by stating ridiculous statments in defense of Rockefeller, while really trying to get people to look at the Lt. Gov's race.

4:12 PM, May 31, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mr. Toast, a.k.a. Drew Pritt. The Truth is setting the record straight son. Jim Holt has gone mental and so have you son.

The reason that Holt got the highest number (besides Hutchy) is because there are more freaking people. Do the math son.

Jim Holt would have been good maybe 100 years ago, but we be livin' in the 21st centry now son.

Jim Lagrone is the best for Lt. Governor and the rumor from www.xanga.com/allpolitics is that Holt is dropping out son.

So get your act together before you get Toasted on son.

5:52 PM, May 31, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

MR. TOAST IS SPINNING AS NORMAL

Just a few facts Mr. Holt was the only state wide or federal republican candidate to Washington County.

The marriage amendment received 753770 votes
George bush 572898 votes
John Kerry 469953 votes
Against term limits 672592

Jim Holt 458036

You can do the math Jim Holt can not even hold the votes of the conservative voters that vote against gay marriage, against john Kerry, against term limit extensions.

You did not answer the question I asked about the eagle forum president.


Anonymous said...
I am beginning to think that truth teller is a minion of one of the Lt. Governor's candidacies who is just trying to create controversy by stating ridiculous statments in defense of Rockefeller, while really trying to get people to look at the Lt. Gov's race.

It appears there are more unthinking minions of Jim Holt so if you have independent thought you have become a minion of someone else

As far as house bill 1525. The children are not illegal aliens until they reach a legal age I will not hurt a child because of the sins of the parents.

7:14 PM, May 31, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am NOT Mr. Toast.

Mark Moore can verify this and these continued attacks on me personally show a lack of character.

A man of character stands with his name and doesn't try to decieve others by cloaking his identity.

Finally, I support Gene Yarbrough for Arkansas Lt. Governor, not Holt or Lagrone!

7:42 PM, May 31, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yarbrough is a great man. My friend Billy Jack is from Star City and says that Gene is a good man.

YARBROUGH FOR LT. GOVERNOR

8:20 PM, May 31, 2005  
Blogger Mark Moore (Moderator) said...

Whoever the person is that thinks Mr. Toast and Mr. Pritt are the same person is really mixed up. I assure you they are not.

Plus, the poster claims that the reason Holt got a higher percentage of the vote than any GOP Senate cadidate (except T. Hutchinson) was because "there were more people" voting in the election. Whoever you are, can you tell us how an increase in the NUMBER of people voting would make it EASIER to get a higher PERCENTAGE of the vote?

whoever he is, he seems to be a fan of so-called "truth_teller", who has his own problems grasping things. Conservatives judge legislators by what bills they STOP as much as by what gets passed. Holt was one of the main reasons HB1525 (ed benefits for illegals) got STOPPED!

Also, his SB 206, and others, kept the bad guys in the media fighting his stuff, so that other conservatives had cover to get their stuff through.

LaGrone may be a fine man, but I don't see one reason in there that indicates why he would be a better Lt. Governor than proven conservative legislators that take decisive stands. He would have a steep learning curve to face.

Holt won his DISTRICT big time. His district is Springdale. Uber-liberal FAYETTEVILLE put Blanche Lincoln over the top in Washington County. That and the fact she outspent him 60-1 and the liberal media in this state attacked Holt for 8 months straight with stuff that I would consider libilously absurd.

9:59 PM, May 31, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Are these numbers true?

The marriage amendment received 753770 votes
George bush 572898 votes
John Kerry 469953 votes
Against term limits 672592

Jim Holt 458036

If so, it kind of looks like Jim Holt really did stink it up. What is the truth? Are these numbers real?

10:28 PM, May 31, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mark, I am supporting Gene Yarbrough, because the Lieutenant Governor is an office that has no power to STOP legislation. If Matayo or Holt were running for Governor, this would be a different story.

Yarbrough wants to use the Lt. Governor's office to be an Economic Ambassodor who promotes our state and attract good paying jobs with good benefits to our state.

THAT makes him the most appealing candidate running, IMHO.

11:21 PM, May 31, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

HOLT GOT MORE VOTES THAN PRYOR IN '02.

12:26 AM, June 01, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lets watch our language, okay?

12:58 AM, June 01, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Guys, let's watch our mouths. This is getting out of control. Someone is posting really nasty things on all the best Blogs in the state. This Blog, Family Coalition's Blog, AAP, The Truth, all of them. If you want to talk bad about someone do it to their face.

5:31 AM, June 01, 2005  
Blogger Mark Moore (Moderator) said...

I deleted that comment. I will not have coarse language on this board. I appreciate you guys helping me jump on the offender. If someone sees that going on, e-mail me at chairman@cparkansas.org and tell me the thread title.

8:15 AM, June 01, 2005  
Blogger The Truth said...

truth teller is not The Truth. The Truth supports any REPUBLICAN candidate for Lt. Governor. Jim Holt is a member of your Consitution Party Mark, not a Republican.

8:41 AM, June 01, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

8:51 AM, June 01, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mark, thank you for moderating this forum. It makes it much more enjoyable for us all.

8:52 AM, June 01, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

No...I just am blogging here and there.

12:07 PM, June 01, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

www.xanga.com/allpolitics

12:34 PM, June 01, 2005  
Blogger Mark Moore (Moderator) said...

Sen. Jim Holt is not a member of the Constitution Party. We helped him against Blanche because he is a man of integrity who really speaks the truth, rather than a party hack who calls himself the truth.

Jim thinks he can appeal to the grassroots to help make the Republican Party better. He would really rather that all the CP people come into the GOP and help him make it better. Been there and tried that.

1:45 PM, June 01, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The numbers are true (taken straight from the sec of state page for election results)!!! MR Holt was the only Federal Republican candidate to lose Washington County. Yes Fayetteville is in Washington County. The Marriage Amendment passed in Washington County, Bush Won Washington County, and Bozeman Won Washington County.


Not one person as said what SB 206 would outlaw (except Pre-natal care, as stated before being pro-life this is not fine with me) that is already against the law can someone name me one thing. just one thing

2:25 PM, June 01, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hmmmm... I had a look at the SOS website. You are right, Holt did stink it up by comparison in Washington County. I wonder if there is a similar trend statewide?

Mr. Holt should have given SB 206 to Mr. Matayo. Considering his track record, Matayo could have passed it.

It's all too bad too, I really like Jim Holt. He's a good Christian man, but has terrible public relations skills. The Republican Party should have given him some public relations training or something.

5:49 PM, June 01, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Asa and Matayo - great conservatives who can win.

6:00 PM, June 01, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That xanga.com site SUCKS!
Its mostly lies and slander. Look at all the stuff they post that it wrong.

8:07 PM, June 01, 2005  
Blogger Mark Moore (Moderator) said...

Holt was outspent 60-1 while Boozman and Bush both spent more than their opponents in Arkansas. Plus the liberal print media was savaging Holt for months. The amendment to ban homosexual marriage had broad support and did better than any candidate.

Jim Holt is great with people one on one. The only reason the press savages him is that he is the MOST conservative. He is the point of the spear. If he were not around they would be on the next most prominent conservative.

He takes the brunt of the attacks, and takes the heat off some guys who are then free to vote pretty far right (like Boozman) without pressure so long as they keep their mouths shut. Holt won't stay silent on things like out of control judges, homosexual "marriage", abortion, loss of local control of schools. Fake conservatives hate him because he is a real one, and shows their own false conservatism by comparison.

8:28 PM, June 01, 2005  
Blogger Mark Moore (Moderator) said...

Matayo is well-liked in Siloam Springs, from what I hear. He was mostly running the governor's stuff though, wasn't he? What did Maytayo pass that was so controversial?

8:30 PM, June 01, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Matayp was a lead guy in scholarships for illegal mexican imigrant legislation

9:30 PM, June 01, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ummm....Holt is NOT the most conservative. Have you seen Lagrone's website lately???

But, the reason I am supporting Gene Yarbrough is because who has the best vision, experience, and ability to make a difference in the office of Lieutenant Governor.

Who is most suited to step in and serve as Governor and represent ALL of Arkansas, not just a group?

Who can use the Lieutenant Governor's office as a catalyst for positive change?

9:44 PM, June 01, 2005  
Blogger Mark Moore (Moderator) said...

LaGrone bills himself as "a conservative, but not an extemist". Those are the kind that tend to retreat from the battle the first time the Democrat-Gazette hollers "boo!" at them. Holt has proven he won't back down.

You need a conservative, who IS extreme in his commitment to stand his ground, or else you get yet another guy who talks the talk while running but does not walk the walk while in office.

And no one can represent "all" of Arkansas. That is a cliche. Some people in Arkansas are meth dealers. Will Yarborogh represent their interests too? Other Arkansans want the meth plague stopped. Will he also represent THEIR opposite interests?

It can't be done. They all represent some groups and oppose others. It is just a matter of the identity of the groups and the degree of support/opposition.

10:00 PM, June 01, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

May I then suggest, a Lieutenant Governor who represents the best for all of Arkansas?

Extreminism is not a virtue, contrary to what Barry Goldwater said.

I still say Lagrone is the extremist.

11:26 PM, June 01, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

60-1 wow do you truely beleive he will not be outspent like that again. I less then a month before Holt was still looking at all 7 statewide state offices. HOLT should be running for federal office. Truth_Teller I could not find anything sb206 would make change

4:17 AM, June 02, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Son, listen up. An increase in population usually leads to an increase in vote. This is why Bush received more votes than any other President.

Now what night school were you going to go to son?

5:42 AM, June 03, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Matayo, Harris, Martin, Kinney, Pace and Pritchard are all republican state reps that serve part of Washington county only 2 state reps can say that

2 out of the 3 State seanators in washington county are republicans

the qurom court has a majority of republicans

So I will not blindly follow a so called Conservative just because he only lost be so many points.

I will not be posting here anymore because no one here wants to have a honest discusion IT IS ALL ABOUT THE KOOL AID JIM HOLT HAS GIVEN YOU

check the records mr holt is not the most conservative in this race He is the least effective I respect the fact that he has blinded so many people

10:16 AM, June 03, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Actually, you are wrong. An increase in population does not mean an increase in voting. One has to look for "HISTORICAL VOTERS" to see the true numbers.

Fatal errors where campaigns have based themselves on the logic of a larger population means more votes are :

1996 - Harvey Gantt (D-No. Carolina) LOST
Guy Millner (R-Georgia) LOST

Dave Cuddy (R-Alaska) LOST

1997 - Don Beyer (D-Virginia) LOST

1998 - Guy Millner (R-Georgia) LOST

2003 - Bobby Jindal (R-Louisiana) LOST
2004 - Brad Carson (D-Oklahoma) LOST

3:35 PM, June 03, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Toast, byt whats-his-name, I think you mean Matayo-with-a-fine-redheaded-wife.

8:04 PM, June 04, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I spoke with Matayo today for some business regarding my County. In fact, I have been blessed to speak with all, but Holt, so far.

They are men and women for these offices with as far as I can tell, a pure desire to do right.

I will pray for them all through Election Day and challenge each of you as well.

9:47 PM, June 05, 2005  
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