Fort Smith State Rep Race Heats Up: Campbell says Malone’s Record is “Mediocre”
Filing just closed on Monday and the Republican Primary for State Representative District 64 is already heating up, where City Director Gary Campbell is taking on incumbent Rep. Stephanie Malone. The City Wire reported yesterday on the endorsement Malone received from Congressman John Boozman, who is her uncle. Boozman’s office had previously said they would not make an endorsement in a primary but Patrick Creamer, Spokesman for Boozman’s Senate Campaign said this endorsement was based on Malone’s record.
Campbell took issue with this telling The City Wire, “In today’s world, family ties do not guarantee performance as evidenced by my opponent’s mediocre record.”
I followed up with Campbell this morning to see what it was about Malone’s record he felt was mediocre. I reached him as he had just gotten stuck in a bog while putting up campaign signs.
“I don’t feel that Rep. Malone has done enough for the city of Fort Smith,” said Campbell. He could not point to any votes she cast specifically that he disagreed with but said in general he felt she did not do enough to bring projects home for the district. “When Congressman Boozman brings a project home for his district, everyone knows about it. I have not seen this with Rep. Malone.”
Malone strongly disagreed with this assessment. “I am proud of my conservative voting record,” she said this morning. “I am confused when my opponent says I have not done enough for the district but cannot offer any specifics.”
She said that she voted for lowering taxes on groceries and taxes on manufactures both of which have benefited her constituents. She also said that she has worked with federal and state officials to help bring highway funding for the area.
Malone was quick to point out that last term she was a freshman representative and knows she will be in a stronger position if re-elected for a second term while Campbell would not have this experience if voters elect him.
With no Democrat filing for this race, the Republican Primary will decide the election on May 18.
Tags: 2010 Candidates
March 10th, 2010 at 11:20 am
If Mr. Campbell is saying Representative Malone has a “mediocre” voting record maybe he should actually look at it first. Apparently he said he can’t list a vote with which he disagress. I guess that means according to his own standards his voting record would have been just as “mediocre”. It looks like Mr. Campbell’s only line of attack is that Represntative Malone didn’t get the legislature to spend enough money and should have voted for more “pork projects”. Well, coming from this conservative, I thank you Representative for being a fiscal conservative and doing your best to spend the taxpayers money wisely. Fort Smith Republicans, if you want someone who will be a tax and spender it looks like you should vote for Campbell…otherwise the conservative choice is most obviously Malone.
March 10th, 2010 at 5:20 pm
I am disturbed by Gary Campbell’s baseless attacks. The truth is that Rep. Malone has a Conservative voting record. Rep. Malone’s opponent has never served one day in the legislature and now thinks he knows everything.
With term limits being so short Rep. Malone will move up in seniority and quite possibly will be a Committee Chairperson, something her opponent will not. Rep. Malone has earned the respect of her colleagues and will have many endorsements to come.
State Representative Bryan King