The Tolbert Report

Roby Brock of Talk Business throws out a question that I have heard mentioned quite a bit in Republican circles lately.  Who is going to go out there and take on Gov. Beebe?  As Brock correctly points out, Beebe’s approval ratings are through the roof.  A survey last month from Public Policy Polling shows Beebe with an approval rating 68% compared to Sen. Blanche Lincoln’s approval rating of 45%.  Do you wonder why so much attention has been on the Senate race?  Beebe even has a 55% approval rating among Republicans.  (Heck, I even like the guy most days.)

Still, Brock is right.  Republicans have to field a candidate to remain a “major political party” under Arkansas election law (ACA § 7-1-101 (17)).  So who is it going to be?  There are two schools of thought on this. 

First, you send out the Party’s best ace to take on the Democrat’s top dog.  Who is the most qualified, experienced, charismatic Republican in the state?  Well, probably Mike Huckabee but he is term limited.  Anyway, I think that whoever you think fits this bill is not going to risk losing this position by taking on a popular incumbent governor, but I could be wrong.

So, here is the second school of thought.  Baseball fans know that managers have to carefully select their starting pitchers based on a number of factors.  During post-season play, the starting pitcher selection is a well timed game of chess as the managers try to get the match-ups they desire.  A smart manager will usually not waste their ace pitcher on the same night that the All Star Cy Young Gold Glover opponent’s pitcher takes the mound.  Instead they will send out the almost retired veteran coming in fresh from Tommy John surgery and save their ace for another night.  In other words, they will sacrifice one game in order to save the series.

Republicans have to send someone to the mound.  And who knows – maybe our Tom Glavine has one more win in him.  But no doubt statewide efforts in the 2010 election will be on the U.S. Senate race on the statewide level and perhaps even more importantly on increase and holding the number of seats in the state legislature.  Keep building the farm system and we can win the World Series next time around.

So who is our Tom Glavine?  Names abound.  Perhaps one of the many names constantly mentioned for the U.S. Senate race.  Perhaps a term limited state legislator with an ax to grind against Beebe.  But whoever it is needs to be ready to run a lean greatly outspent campaign and cannot be afraid to take on the Beebe machine directly.

Volunteers?

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UPDATE - Max Brantely says that it will not be a veteran’s swan song but instead a rookie of the year’s warm up.