The Tolbert Report

I was out last week but somehow Arkansas politics survived without me and even saw several events unfold.

U.S. Senate candidate Gilbert Baker hired former Press Secretary to Mike Huckabee Alice Stewart to as his Deputy Campaign Manager / Communications Director. After hauling in over half a million dollars, more than five times the amount of his Republican opponents combined, Baker is seen by most as the frontrunner.

In spite of this, the Fourth Congressional District Republicans in south Arkansas held a straw poll and picked Curtis Coleman as their man for the job. There is not much details on who all participated in this straw poll over the weekend in Texarkana (if anyone was there, please pass on a report) but the Coleman campaign thought it worthy of a press release.  No mention if Coleman received “a visa and a shot“ before making the trip. (Sorry, that one was too easy.)

Meanwhile, Stanley Reed’s on again off again flirtation with the U.S. Senate race went back to the on again status as he tells David Sanders that he is strongly considering running against Sen. Lincoln as a Republican. Sanders declares on twitter “Stanley Reed would be the strongest Republican if he chooses to run” but cautions me not to take this as an  endorsement. Also, Reed tells John Lyons that he if he does not run, he has not decided if he will support Lincoln or not.  Wait a second – WHAT???

Speaking of Reed, I exchanged awkward smiles and pleasantries with him for the first time on Saturday evening at the wedding of the first couple of the Arkansas new media, Jessica Dean and Blake Rutherford. They were nice enough to invite me and my fellow lonely misfit bloggers to the occasion, which was in Dean’s parent’s backyard and reminded me very much a scene from “Father of the Bride,” which is where I lifted this picture from.  My wife told me that taking my flip cam to the wedding would be “creepy.” The wedding was lovely.

Back in the Second Congressional Republican race, Tim Griffin announces that he has signed the American for Tax Reform Taxpayer Protection Pledge committing in writing “to oppose any and all tax increases.” Both opponents David Meeks and Scott Wallace tell me they plan to sign this but has not done so yet. Wallace is putting on a kick-off fundraiser at Whole Hog in west Little Rock tomorrow night and Griffin will “going whole hog” as well next week on November 5.

That’s all I got for now. I am sure I missed something and I am sure you will let me know in the comments section.

Worth noting – Progressive Democrat Drew Pritt lets me know that he plans to challenge Sen. Blanch Lincoln next spring in the Democratic Primary.  Pitt represents the feeling among some Democrats to the left of Lincoln that they are not being represented.