Jim Holt Announcement Likely By Year’s End
The ever watchful Max Brantley picked up on some activity at Jim Holt’s old campaign website. It seems it now directs you JimHolt2010.com – from there you can see where Holt has a $1,000 a plate fundraiser at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and a $100 a plate fundraiser at MAD Pizza in Rogers both scheduled for December 29.
I called up Jason Shepherd who worked on Holt’s Senate campaign in 2004 to see what the story was. He confirmed that indeed these fundraisers were planned and that Holt is heavily leaning to getting in the Republican Primary for U.S. Senate. He emphasized that Holt is focusing heavily on fundraising from the get go and he sees this as the area of his greatest weakness from his last campaign. I asked Shepherd if it is safe to assume that Holt will be making some sort of an announcement on the December 29th and he said, “That’s is certainly a safe assumption.”
UPDATE - The ever quotable executive director of the Democratic Party of Arkansas Mariah Hatta observes on twitter that the Republican Senate Primary resembles a “crazy clown car cult.”
Tags: 2010 Candidates
December 16th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
MAD Pizza, that is fitting…
Let us all hope that Holt finishes 4th or lower, then maybe that will put him out of our misery.
December 16th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
I wish “Heck, No!” was an option on your poll.
December 16th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Well, six more years of Blanche Lincoln if Holt enters the race. Doesn’t he realize he is a loser in the voters eyes?
December 17th, 2009 at 12:18 am
Jim Holt running again is kinda like seeing that ex-girlfriend from High School who turned out to be really crazy.
December 17th, 2009 at 1:20 am
The climate has never been or ever will be better for a true conservative/anti-establishment candidate like Jim Holt! This time around Blanche Lincoln is 2010’s most vulnerable Democrat in every poll. Ride those Obama coat-tails all the way home to Virgina, baby!
December 17th, 2009 at 8:58 am
Jim Holt’s beliefs are in step with many Arkansan’s and Blanche Lincoln’s are not. Holt would be a great Senator compared to Mrs. Lincoln. If He is not the candidate, then Republicans had better find someone with similar beliefs. No RINOs allowed.
December 17th, 2009 at 9:21 am
[...] Brantley of the Arkansas Times and GOP blogger Jason Tolbert note growing interest by Jim Holt to make another run at the US Senate in 2010. Mr. Holt ran in 2004 [...]
December 17th, 2009 at 10:07 am
Holt has proven he is no better than the rest. $1000 per plate fundraiser???? He is suppose to be the candidate that doesn’t need money. He was suppose to win on his message and now he is selling out to the almighty dollar.
December 17th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Upset, how is asking for money selling out?
He’s said time and time again that if he had more money in ‘04 he could have beat Blanche then. And after gathering 44% of the vote while being outspent over $3million I have no doubt that he is right.
I think it’s a good thing he’s being up front about asking for money; he’s always been to nice to ask in the past. I think this will help him.
December 17th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Its a sad day for the Arkansas Republican party.
December 17th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Wow, it is only Dec. 17 and Holt has already broken the federal campaign finance law (McCain Feingold, also known as BCRA).
Didn’t he have to follow BCRA/ McCain-Feingold the last time he ran against Blanche? Didn’t he learn then what he needs to do?
Maybe he isn’t running for federal office?
December 17th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Hey Upset,
Did you notice that he was also holding a $100 a plate event the same day. Since that one is within reach of the average working person maybe we will see you at that one, unless you are just another establishment detractor harping at the populist favorite who got more votes than any Arkansas Republican in two of the last three election cycles despite no help from the national party, or Gilbert Baker when he ran the state party!
December 17th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Dear just poll the race already,
Jim Holt cannot even get all the Republican votes I know many who will never vote for him. We need someone new like Gilbert. I dont think that Jim Holt a much higher vote than he did the last 2 times he ran.
December 17th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
People had better pray that Holt does not run as an independent because if he does the Republicans will be toast because he would split the conservative voters, and Lincoln would win again. 33% of GOP voters says they will vote for a Tea Party candidate, and Holt is the candidate that could satisfy the TEA Party, Ron Paul voters, Constitution Party and disillusioned Republican voters and the only Republican who has voted the Republican platform. And those 44% of the voters who voted for Holt before still live in Arkansas, don’t they?
All these blog tactics were used in the race last time, and the Republican establishment tried to buy Holt off to switch races, but people made up their own minds and Jim got 57% of the vote on 17% of the money spent in the GOP race. And remember in our country (at least for now) VOES Still Trump money. The reason Holt did not win against Halter is because people were so fed up with the Republicans they voted against Republicans all over the nation. And Holt pulled more votes than ASA did, and Asas was well funded.
December 17th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
“W”
I would say that yes you are right that there are some republicans who would never vote for Jim. But I will say too that there are Holt supporters that will never vote for Gil as well.
December 18th, 2009 at 5:52 am
In a campaign it’s not the first 45% that’s hard…. it’s the last 6% that will cost 3 million
December 18th, 2009 at 11:56 am
I love the “I did better than Asa” routine. Well good for you, I think the award you get is equal to Asa’s, you both LOST. I also love people who said, “if I was only better looking, if I was only smarter, if only the national party helped, if I was only…”, Grow up, you have lost twice and will continue to. There is a reason the voters have rejected you numerous times. I think the ego is much larger than the crisp ideas needed for this race. This looming candidacy is a joke.
December 18th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Bob, you may be right about some holt supporters never voting for Senator Gilbert Baker but many conservitive Democrats will while they will not vote for Holt.
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:18 am
It is the AR conservative voters that have the problem. When Holt ran last time, the voters were so used to ‘Big Money’ doing everything for them, that they hardly put a dime into HOLT’S campaign… They were lazy and did not seek to be informed. The voter’s slothfullness is what cost the election and got the ‘BLANCHE BURR’ under America’s saddle. It wasn’t lack of diligence or fortitude of the Holt campaign. Holt wasn’t after BIG money with BIG strings attached, because His record and his life reflect integrity. As for other candidates, I say..A puppet may have a good heart, but is still controlled by the strings. If the conservative AR voters want a man of integrity, one that votes the way he promised to, then the ARKANSAS voter needs to “PUT THERE MONEY WHERE THERE VOTE IS!” stop shirking their responsibilities.
December 23rd, 2009 at 6:22 pm
I don’t really disagree that much, but you also have to realize that Volunteers working polling sites were handing out literature on Aztlan’ groups. I agreed with 95% of Holt’s policies, and some would call me an extreme “right winger.” Even I saw that and thought I was about to vote for a kook. I don’t know if that was official campaign material, but his campaign should have had a better grasp on stuff like that.