The Tolbert Report

This is one is still developing but according to reports, the Joint Budget Committee is considering an amendment from Rep. Keith Ingram (D-West Memphis) that would cut the appropriation for the Lieutenant Governor’s office from $366,000 to $228,000 primarily by cutting most salary positions.

The proposed amendment apparently took the LG chief of staff Michael Cook by surprise. This amendment will be brought back up tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM after Bill Halter and his staff has time to respond.

What is the reasoning behind the 38% decrease in the budget for the Lieutenant Governor’s office? Could paybacks be a factor?

UPDATE – Amanda Manatt, Arkansas House Communication Director, reports that the meeting tomorrow will be live streamed.

UPDATE II – Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor Mark Darr weighed in on the proposed cuts last night.

“Lieutenant Governor Halter has grown the budget of his office substantially in the past four years while Lieutenant Governor Win Rockefeller held the line and kept the budget of his office in check,” said Darr. “Should I be elected to the office of Lieutenant Governor, I will work to serve my constituents in an efficient manner and be a good steward of taxpayer dollars much like Lieutenant Governor Rockefeller.”

UPDATE III – I was not able to watch as they moved the committee meeting to a room without a live streaming camera at the request of Sen. Steve Faris but according Capsearch, the amendment failed to pass. 

According to them, there was some discussion with Ingram noting the cost savings during a time of necessary budget cuts and Faris pointing out that the office is designed to be part time.  Rep. Barbara Nix asked why the Lieutenant Governor’s office was being singled out and then the committee voted down the amendment.

End result – slap on the hand for Halter for rocking the boat and no actual budget cuts.

The endorsement news is rolling in this morning giving me the chance to reuse that silly headline.

Former U.S. Senate candidate and Tea Party activist Tom Cox endorsed Tim Griffin for Congress this morning.

“Tim Griffin is the right choice for the people of the Second District,” Cox said. “Like me, he is a business owner, and he understands that the private sector – not the government – is the key to sustainable job creation and economic growth.”

Full release on the jump.

(more…)

As I predicted Friday, former Congressman Asa Hutchinson endorsed state Sen. Cecile Bledsoe this morning for her bid to represent the Third Congressional District.

The endorsement was announced at Hutchinson’s law offices in Rogers this morning. 

“Today, I’m excited to offer her my support, and to encourage the voters of the Third District to do the same. As a former Congressman, I understand what the job takes–and Cecile has it. As someone who has worked for our nation’s security, I also have confidence Cecile understands the threat of terrorism and what it takes to keep us safe,” Hutchinson said.

Full release on the jump.

(more…)

Politico caught up with our own Gov. Mike Beebe in Washington at a meeting of the National Governor’s Association and took the time to ask him his opinion of Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter’s prospects for 2010.  From their report…

“I do not know what Bill Halter will do. I don’t think anybody else knows what Bill Halter will do, with the possible exception of Bill Halter,” Beebe said. “I think he’s looking at the congressional race, I think he’s looking at the Senate race. I think he’s looking at reelection. I think what he ultimately has expressed interest in down the line, is being governor,” he added.

As for a prospective Halter primary challenge to Lincoln, one of the most vulnerable Democratic incumbents in the country, Beebe said the two-term senator would begin with a considerable advantage over the lieutenant governor in a hypothetical match-up.

“I’ve seen polls that suggest it’s about 2-to-1 her,” said Beebe.

Beebe has a strained relationship with Halter that dates back to 2006, when the two briefly tangled in the Democratic primary for governor before Halter swapped races. The two have also clashed on legislative issues such as instituting a state lottery. When asked if he had a good relationship with Halter, Beebe offered a wry smile before replying flatly, “we’re cordial.”

If Halter does jump into the Democratic Primary for Congress or Senate, it will be interesting to see how active a role Gov. Beebe plays with Halter’s opponent. He obviously will not be throwing his support behind Halter but will he sit out or campaign against him in public or more likely behind the scenes.

Speaking of the Lieutenant Governor’s race, the field is starting to firm up on the Republican side. Roy Ragland let me know this morning that he will not be running. He and his wife were recently the victims of a hit and run accident in Little Rock. Ragland wife’s injures are more critical but Ragland let me know this morning that she is improving. I hope you will join me in praying for her recovery.

Jim Keet is still gearing up for a primary challenge to the only announced candidate Mark Darr; however Keet’s plans will not be finalized until Halter shows his cards as Keet has made it clear he has no intention of challenging Halter.

The Third Congressional District Republican candidates met over the weekend for a forum sponsored by the Benton County Tea Party. As shown in the picture above from Stefani Buhajla, the candidates present were Cecile Bledsoe, Steve Lowry, Kurt Maddox, Mike Moore, Bernie Skoch, Damon Wallace, and Steve Womack.

I recognized all the names except for Damon Wallace – a businessman from Gravette – so I contacted him to find out more about his campaign. Turns out, he has decided to drop out.

“I will be withdrawing from the race this week,” said Wallace. “With such a short time to prepare and not having the infrastructure completed even yet, I have decided that I will most likely not be able to compete well in this race.”

Wallace tells me that he may run for the state legislature in the opportunity presents itself in the future.

State Sen. Cecile Bledsoe sent out a press release today that she will be making an “important campaign announcement” on Monday at 10:00 AM in Rogers regarding her campaign for Congress. The address listed just happens to be the law office of former Congressman Asa Hutchinson -World Trade Center, 3300 Market Street, Suite 404.

Could Bledsoe be picking up an endorsement from Asa? Seems likely to me. Word is also leaking out that the other Hutchinson – former Congressman and Senator Tim Hutchinson will be helping Bledsoe out with fundraising in Washington.

Add Kurt Maddox to the list of candidates running the third district.  He made this announcement today in Gravette where he owns MDX Group, a successful real estate and janitorial service company and serves as a member of the city council.

“I’m a Christian Conservative first and a Republican second because I believe that the labels of a party shouldn’t come before one’s principles,” said Maddox. ”I intend to prove to you that my good conscience is worth sending to Washington on your behalf.”  Full release on the jump.

Maddox joins (off the top of my head) Cecile Bledsoe, Steve Womack, Mike Moore, Bernie Skoch, Steve Lowry, and probably soon Gunner Delay in competing  for the Republican nomination.

(more…)

It has been pointed out to me that I just don’t give enough press to Sen. Mark Pryor. Perhaps this is because he is not up for election until 2014 or perhaps because he does better job lying low than Sen. Lincoln does. But anyway here goes.

Today, Sen. Pryor was on KARN complaining about the partisanship in Washington that was preventing things from getting done. “A good idea may get slapped down just because it did not come from the other party,” said Pryor regarding the Republicans. He said he dreamed of one day when Congress can put partisanship aside and work together to address the country’s problems.

I find this statement curious as last I checked the Democratic Party had the votes to control the agenda. Up until the election of Republican Sen. Scott Brown, the Democrats had a filibuster proof majority in the Senate with 60 votes and even now they still have 59 votes. The House Democrats also have 77 more seats than the House Republicans so they have even greater control of their chamber.

“Partisanship” is not stopping anything from passing Congress unless it is the partisanship from Sen. Pryor’s own party leaders that are attempting to move hard to the left much to the chagrin of Democrats who try to position themselves as centrists.

With only ten days to go before filing begins in Arkansas, there are still many unanswered question. Will Bill Halter run for the Senate or Congress or stay with Lieutenant Governor? Will the Republicans field a full slate of candidates or focus only on a few key potential pickups? And who will carry their banner in the governor’s race?

We still don’t know but we know more about the state announced candidates as they filed their reports for January. Roby Brock from Talk Business and I dug through these reports. He has the skinny on the constitutional offices over there while I take a look at some of state legislative races with interesting primaries.

In Saline County and western Pulaski County, Jeremy Hutchinson and Dan Greenberg square off in the Republican Primary for state senate district 22. Both are neck and neck in cash on hand with Greenberg’s $91,944 to Hutchinson’s $84,902. Greenberg is mainly self financing his campaign with over $120,000 in loans. Look for this race to have record amounts spent for a state senate primary.

In the north Saline and west Pulaski County district 31, left vacant by Greenberg, David Sanders is taking on John Parke. Sanders is ahead in the cash in this one with $30,212 to Parke’s $12,313 however Parke has been in the race longer so we will see who can bring this one across the finish line. It will also be a key race to watch as this district typically goes to the Republican primary winner.

Over in Fort Smith, a three way Republican Primary is shaping up between Frank Glidwell, Jake Files, and Jim Medley. Glidwell holds a commanding lead in the cash department with $37,013 compared to Files’ $5,347 and Medley’s $920. But in a three way race, we often see a run off so this could be a interesting race as well.

More details on all these candidates on the jump. Any other hotly contested legislative primaries you want me to take a look at? Let me know.

(more…)

The liberal group that help elect President Barack Obama – MoveOn.org – has turned that attention on the Arkansas Senate race but in a way you might not expect. In an email today, they asked their members if they should get behind Bill Halter and encourage him to pursue a challenge to Sen. Blanche Lincoln in the Democratic Primary.

Their full email is on the jump. This is one of the biggest liberal grassroots movements in the country. If they choose to get behind Halter, than it could be a major boost to his campaign.

(more…)